There is No Escaping Neverland
by musicxnotes3
Summary: Terra Diggs thought she was through with Neverland. She'd given up everything she had to leave, but just when she was starting to settle down, the dreams start. When Terra sees the shadow, she finds herself stuck in Neverland again, but the conditions are far worse than ever. Held captive by the demon boy Peter Pan, will Terra Diggs ever be free of Neverland for good?
1. Chapter 1 It Happened One Night

**_A/N: Thank you guys for encouraging me to continue! I've been planning this one for a good two days, but if this doesn't gratify you, please let me know and I can change some things. So if anyone's new, this is a sequel to 'Not a Lost Girl', but it's not absolutely necessary that you read the other story, I mean if you don't want to ever be confused I suggest you do, but it's not a must. If you have any questions, I can explain things. Okay, enough ranting. But hello to returning reviewers :D_**

**_Thank you guys, here it is, chapter 1 of There is No Escaping Neverland. _**

It happened one cold January night.

Two years and eight days since leaving Neverland. She counted yesterday.

She could remember every single detail.

Everyone except Slightly was in bed, she didn't let them out past curfew, which was 10. Sometimes she was lenient with the older ones, and let them stay out until 11.

Judging by the very faint clanking coming from down the stairs Slightly was up late experimenting. He often was these days, but as long as he was inside, it didn't bother her too much.

Terra Diggs woke up sweaty and panicked, only recalling the words Peter Pan shouted at her as she was leaving.

_"Mark my words Terra Diggs, I will have you!" _

The thought made her shudder.

Terra was nearly eighteen now, just a few months until her birthday. She had stopped receiving letters from the other boys some times last year. It was tragic, but she understood. Most of their last letters consisted of happy endings, new families, old families reunited. A special few were less happy, but still satisfying.

She pulled her exhausted figure out of her bed, and went to the bathroom to wash her face off, like she would all the other times she would dream of his voice again. She often prayed it would stop.

But it never did.

In fact, most times she'd hear other things he had said.

_"Peter Pan never fails."_

That one had really given her chills. It made her feel like he hadn't really let her go. And somewhere inside of her, she believed that he hadn't, because sometimes out of the corner of her eye, just when she would wake to wash her face, she could swear she'd seen him, his emerald eyes in the darkness, his smirk mocking her. But just when her eyes would focus on him, he'd be gone, like a dream. It was quite possible it was a dream, she was still somewhere between sleep and awake.

_"There is no escaping Neverland."_

That one she would frequently grin proudly at. _I escaped Neverland, Peter Pan. _

She still forgot her voice was missing sometimes, and she'd try to sing, but it'd always be in vain. But she was still quite lucky.

"Terra darling, are you in there?" The familiar voice of Duke Frederick spoke softly. She had spaced out again. She turned her head to him and nodded with the most charming smile she could muster.

There were engaged, after all.

She wasn't quite sure how it'd happened. They'd just ran into each other one day, and she glared at him before even knowing who he was. He seemed to fancy her ever since, so it wasn't exactly a shock when he'd proposed.

Originally she was going to refuse. No matter how nice and special the Duke was, she couldn't find it in herself to love him like he'd wanted her to. He was lovely with her, yes, but she had never truly loved any boy like that, not even Peter Pan.

She was often told by neighbors and villagers that it wasn't like she could do better. And that was quite true. Fortune had favored her, as it would seem. What are the odds of a Duke falling for a voiceless, odd 'inventor'? Not to mention all the boys she was living with. Rumors often spread.

So of course, she ended up saying yes. If not for her, then for the boys who had to work all the time to pay the bills. They worked so that she could invent, claiming that they 'owed' her.

The wedding was to take place shortly after her 18th birthday. The Duke was 32, and he decided it would be best to wait until then, for the sake of both of their reputations.

But somehow, she felt extremely out of place in the current atmosphere. She was laced up in a tight corset and a puffy dress, a deep red. The neckline fell right above her chest, and the sleeves puffed out in a princess kind of way. It was very much uncomfortable. Her hair colors were gone now, and only a plain dark blonde remained. It was longer, and pinned back tightly. She kept her bangs, but she noticed how displeased Frederick looked when they were in her face the way she liked them to be.

Currently, she was surrounded by people of high status, dancing whatever traditional dance this was. She wasn't really paying attention. She was just letting the Duke pull her along.

She was still quite spacey when the dance ended, but she managed to quickly squeeze a bow in a very clumsy manner. It was a few seconds late, and she nearly bashed heads with the Duke.

He laughed heartily. "Are you alright this evening my dear? You seem quite out of it. Perhaps you would like to call it a night?"

She forced a blush, if that was even possible, shrugged, and nodded bashfully. That was another thing with the Duke. They never exchanged real words. He spoke, and she nodded or shook her head. He couldn't sign, and he didn't have the time to learn. Often they'd have translators, or she'd carry a pad of paper with her. It was tedious, really.

He chuckled and kissed her cheek. They hadn't really gotten farther than that, but she appreciated it. She curtsied politely, and they parted. He returned to chatting with other high-end groups of people, and as soon as she was out of the door she was pulling her hair out and rubbing her eyes, hoping to pull off some of the makeup. Her arm wiped across her lips, pink lipstick coloring her skin and trailing down to her wrist.

She glanced up briefly, making sure no one was around to see her very awkward display, and did a double-take.

_Was that a…._

And it was.

She had just seen a shadow fly from the trees and drift into the sky.


	2. Chapter 2 The First Night

**_A/N: Last chapter for the night! So things are a little quick-paced, sorry about that. Tonight was a rough night, I was super busy, but I wanted to start this for you guys. So here you go! Enjoy._**

**_Chapter 2; The First Night_**

Her breath got caught in her throat like a heavy block of coal. She swallowed it back down, and breathed out her nose deeply, trying to compose herself. It seemed to be flying away.

But nevertheless, the shadow was watching her. Spying on her.

But why?

They had a deal. She gave her voice, her greatest treasure, in order to leave. Perhaps it was just reporting back to Pan.

_Pan._

Her breath hitched. Was he coming back for her? Did he and the shadow devise a plan to rip her from her life again?

Without a moment to think, she quickly ran in the direction of her house.

Her dress was long, and it made it harder to breathe. She'd ditched her heels soon after she began to run. They were troublesome anyway. She must've stepped on several rocks, making her feet ache. Her feet ran as fast as they could take her, splashing through puddles and ruining her new red dress. Frederick would not be pleased, but she'd be lucky to see him again. She slowed down as she approached her house, tripping once going up the stairs and falling inside.

As soon as she was inside her house, she quickly slammed the door, and locked all four locks. Questions burned her brain like hot tar. Was he coming back for her? Was the deal a hoax? A new way to play with her? Was he going to take the boys?

_The boys._

She ran about the house, checking all the rooms for the boys. They had only just left two and a half years ago. She passed the kitchen, where Slightly was covered in flour and kneading some kind of dough.

Slightly followed her from the kitchen, sensing her uneasiness and curious to find out the cause.

"Terra? What's wrong? How'd it go?" He asked nervously.

She ignored him and quickly went up the first flight of stairs to check on Curly. When she opened the door, she spotted his small 10 year-old-boyish figure. He was sleeping in his blue bed. He insisted the whole room be painted 'manly' colors.

She rushed past, not even bothering to close the door, but she was pretty sure Slightly did for her.

Next was Jack. He was just down the hall. She creaked the door open and shot her head around frantically. She quickly checked his huge walk in closet that he insisted on having, throwing the doors open. She was relieved to see a half naked boy, picking out clothes for whatever it is he had planned tomorrow. She recalled him telling her of a girl.

He yelled at her, but noticing the look of panic on her face followed her to Nibs' room.

"What's going on?" He whispered hushed to Slightly.

"I have no idea. But I'm worried." Slightly replied anxiously.

They followed her up the second flight of stairs, and when she threw open the door, he was sleeping. She sighed long and relieved. She slowly tiptoes over his bed and pushed his dark brown hair out of his eyes. It had been a while since Nibs had slept so nicely. He was in Neverland in Neverland almost as long as Slightly, but he had more to lose. Nibs had a brother that got left behind, so it was no surprise that he too had nightmares. But right then and there, you really couldn't tell what he had been through. His eyes were shut loosely, his hair tousled about his face. He looked like a little angel. Nibs was 15 now, but if you included all the years he was in Neverland, he'd be 38. It seemed like a short couple decades, but Neverland was like Shakespeare writing. Some of the worst drama went down in a day or two.

Terra closed the door silently, and walked to her room. Slightly and Jack followed her, and waited outside of her door. She was only changing. She couldn't stand that dress and even they could see it. Terra didn't hate dresses, she just hated them when they were overly tight or revealing.

When she emerged from her room, they followed her down to the kitchen, and it reminded her of Neverland, and how they'd follow her there too. As soon as they stepped into the kitchen, Terra began signing to them frantically, her vision blurred with tears.

"Whoa slow down. I-I can't understand what you're saying." Slightly said apprehensively.

She breathed out an angry sigh and took it down a notch.

_I saw the shadow. He was watching me. _

"For how long?"

He continued to ask her questions while she signed, he always did that when he got too excited. It was quite annoying, and just made her miss her voice all that much more.

"But you had a deal. I don't understand."

_Neither do I. But to be safe, tomorrow we start looking of ways to protect ourselves. I'll keep watch tonight. We can do shifts. _

Jack frowned. "I don't think it's a good idea to leave you alone."

_We don't have a choice. If we all stay up it'll be useless._

Jack looked to Slightly for a translation and he obliged.

And it was decided.

Terra had suggested that they all stay in one room, it was easier to keep track that way. So Slightly carried Curly to Nibs' room, and laid him on a sleeping bag. The other boys had soon fallen asleep in different pillows and mattresses they'd laid out, and Terra started a fire in the old stone fireplace.

She pulled up a chair and started keeping watch.

It was going to be a long night.

**_-xxx-_**

The next morning came sooner than expected. There was no shadow. They were safe.

As soon as she saw daylight, she climbed in a sleeping bag and went to sleep. The shadow never came during the day.

When Terra finally woke, it was late in the afternoon. Slightly was in the village selling things, buying ingredients, Jack was in the square, Curly was at his blacksmith apprenticeship.

Nibs was reading some kind of book.

Terra felt hunger eat away at her stomach and went to get food.

The first night was completed.

They were safe for another day.


	3. Chapter 3: Forgetting Neverland

**_A/N: Sorry about the slow update guys, I went to a convention this weekend. I went to ACen, and it was great. Anyway, a few things first:_**

**_First, I realize that Terra and the Duke would be very weird in our day and age, but keep in mind this is the enchanted forest, and it's an entirely different time period. _**

**_Secondly, I know Terra seems a little weak these days, but she's just going through some things, you have not seen the last of angry strong Terra._**

**_And lastly, I love you all. Thank you for your reviews, and here is the update! Thanks guys._**

**_Chapter 3: Forgetting Neverland_**

Terra Diggs tapped her long deep purple nails on the polished mahogany vanity table. She was on the edge of insanity. Her face was cased in makeup, and she thought herself plastic, like a doll for the public, for her _very soon _to be husband. She could very well be a doll these days. Her brain seemed small, always frantic and paranoid about the shadow and the sense of impending doom from Peter Pan. Her voice was gone, her only tools of communication simple nods and hand gestures, which were usually fake pleasantry.

Her entire body ached, even her hair which was currently pulled back into a tight ballerina bun, a Chinese white veil pouring from the simple jewled crown on her head. Her ribs hurt from the strangling corset and her legs from the heavy , laced and poofy skirt. She would've suggested simpler, but she didn't really have a say. The Duke sent her to his seamstresses, and Terra couldn't object.

Marriage was all too fake these days. No real love, only marrying for convience, business or public. But Terra Diggs didn't really want love too badly anyway.

She laid her head in her hands. Everyone was doubting her all the time now, and she had begun to doubt herself. Perhaps marrying the Duke was not a wise decision. But it was safety, wasn't it?

Terra's eyes felt heavier than ever. The makeup made her deep blue irises itch and her eye lashes feel weighed down. It was 7PM, only 30 minutes from the start of her wedding.

She had negotiated that the wedding be at night because she wanted the sleep. Her sleep schedule had adapted to the night watches she always did. She did say that they would take shifts, but she couldn't trust that the boys could handle it. So she stayed up all night, and as usual, as soon as the first bit of daylight broke over the horizon, crashed onto a bed and slept until mid-afternoon. After a week or two, Slightly and Nibs had gotten quite concerned. She recalled the conversation, and their choice of words.

Slightly looked pained, he absolutely detested seeing her in such a manner. The girl who had risked her life to save them, the one who was always so brave, looked tired and broken down. She had escaped the aftermath of Neverland for far too long, and it was catching up to her.

"Listen Terra, we all handle Neverland differently. I bake, Nibs runs, Jack writes songs, and Curly… Bends metal or whatever it is blacksmiths do. I don't know, the point is, we have seen you try to forget, we have seen you try to invent, we have even seen you try to fall in love, but it isn't working for you, and we're worried."

Terra still couldn't believe that they were trying to give her some intervention crap.

Nibs cleared his throat. He looked nervous. "Terra, what exactly did you see that night?"

Terra glared bitingly at him. He thought she was hallucinating?

Slightly caught her glare, and saw the threatening arm coming up, so he quickly calmed her down.

"We're not saying you imagined it.. We're just saying maybe it wasn't the shadow, and you took it hard from all the bad memories."

Her lips curled into a snarl, she was still mad at them for accusing her of such things. She could never imagine that. Could she? Was Neverland really driving her insane? Was all the violence, the bad memories, and the loss finally hitting her hard?

But she had seen violence before. She'd seen a guy lose a finger for not paying money. Perhaps it was the images.

Neverland wasn't an ordinary place. It seemed like a vision of heaven, but was actually a special kind of hell. All of it's inhabitants looked innocent, but could kill someone for no reason. She had barely scraped by with her life.

But still, like she planned, she saved the good images for rainy days and gloomy evenings. She could so clearly recall the blue and green hues, the bright stars and milky ways, the vast blue ocean lit by the white moon that was always full.

A knock on the door pulled her from her fantastical day dream and back to the real world.

"Are you all set, Mistress Diggs?" A meek maid's voice inquired politely from the other side of the door.

She opened her mouth to call 'yeah', but it was replaced by a bitter-sweet smile that was reminding her that her voice was still very much gone, like it had been for two and a half years. So instead, she carefully removed herself from the chair she was sitting in, and stumbled to the door, her five inch heels impairing her walking abilities. She prayed she wouldn't trip walking down the isle.

She sucked in a deep breath, taking a few moments to collect herself, before opening the door and smiling brightly. The short black haired maid led her through the halls and towards the doors of the chapel.

Terra smiled big, genuinely. Sure she did not love Frederick the way she had hoped to, but she could do much worse. And besides, he was rich, he was powerful, and she could have anything she wanted with him. Protection, libraries, kids. And with a husband like him, there was a guarantee her inventions would take off eventually. She could be happy, really happy, so could the boys. This was one of the best things that could happen to her.

And when she heard the familiar crescendo of the canon in D tune, she knew it was her entrance and she felt her stomach tingle. She giggled breathlessly when she saw the enchanted faces of Nibs, Slightly, Curly and Jack. They grinned and she finally met the eyes of her husband. His face took on a special kind of softness, his smile revealing his utmost infatuation. She felt a pang of guilt for not feeling quite the same way he did, but she was marrying him, wasn't she?

When she finally reached the altar, he took her hands and held them in his. The priest began to speak a greeting and the typical words you'd hear in a wedding. The pews were lined with people, and out of the hundreds present, she only recognized the four she loved like family. The four she'd felt like she was with her whole life, but knew she couldn't have been.

She met the Duke's eyes and he stared at her, and began whispering sweet nothings in her ear, despite the ceremony. She liked that about him. She liked that despite his status and social standing he could still forget the world whenever he wanted.

And for the first time in weeks, she was happy. She finally began to let go of Neverland, of the shadow she'd seen. Perhaps he was a hallucination, or maybe he was really gone this time. She was finally believing that she could be happy, that she could leave Neverland behind her.

And how wrong she was.


	4. Chapter 4: Not Going Without a Fight

Happiness is something pursued.

The only person who can give you happiness is you.

She held his hand. He held hers. And she was giving herself the happiness she deserved. He put a ring on her finger, and she put one on his. The cold metal eventually warmed up and the gem reminded her of the good things to come. But a terrible feeling was rising in her gut. A feeling that ate up her insides, made her forget her happiness.

That was when the crash came.

The crash of the carefully constructed stain glass windows shattering to bits and hitting the people around them, the crash of her heart thudding against her chest. Then came the shrieks, the faints, the gasps, and the familiar feeling of a hand on hers.

The Duke said something, but it was blurred by her shock and anguish.

The black figure flew through the window and glanced around, it's eyes bright and striking fear in the hearts of those who knew what he had come for. She had not hallucinated the shadow, and the boys had froze as the realization sunk in.

And then the shadow spoke, making Terra's eyes fill with tears. The voice was all too familiar for her and the boys. It was her voice.

"Time is up, Terra Diggs." It said, emotionless.

The Duke shot her a quizzical look, he was suddenly very afraid of the girl he was supposed to marry. But then again, that's what he got for disregarding her feelings.

Terra struggled with the words she so desperately wanted to say. She shot a glance to the boys before reaching behind her to unsheathe a sword from the guard behind her.

She glared at the shadow, her teeth grinding against each other.

She swung at it, but it quickly swooped back. Her attacks were in vain, that she knew, but she wanted to get the message across that she would not be leaving.

Slightly, Nibs, Jack and Curly jumped from their seats to aid her, but they froze at the recognizable eerie chime of the pipes.

Boys trailed behind him, and judging by their attire they were yet to see the hellish island that cursed it's inhabitants.

Terra and her boys gathered their senses and approached the incoming figures with a threatening kind of confidence, and they were soon joined by guards. The Duke was yet to grasp the situation. But it was no matter, they all were abruptly stopped and frozen within moments, their bodies encased in a green glow.

He approached her, his eyes glued to hers, his lips lifted in a smirk through his breaths to play his cursed instrument. When he was a few feet away, the music stopped. She glared daggers at him through her fear. They could take her to Neverland, but she promised she would never stop fighting, and she _always_ kept her promises.

"What a lovely wedding." He echoed smugly, glancing around the chapel dramatically. He always did love to make an entrance. "It really is too bad it has to be cut short."

Her lip would've quiver sorrowfully, had it not been for the magic keeping her in place.

He strolled around lazily, glancing at people before reaching the boys behind her.

"Well if it isn't the traitors." He said icily.

She wanted to fight him, so lift the sword she was holding and drive it through his heart.

He casually made his way back to her, his brave girl who would fight him to the death.

He shamelessly swept his eyes over her figure, pausing only for a second at the small cleavage. She had grown since Neverland.

He caressed her cheek softly and smirked maliciously. "Well, don't you look dashing? They've got you all dolled up, haven't they?"

She breathed fiercely, her mouth still clenched and her glare as threatening as possible.

"What's wrong, Terra?" He asked condescendingly, before faking realization, "Ah yes, that's right, you still haven't got a voice yet. Well, that and I've got you in a... Hold."

He walked in circles around her, a finger at the corner of his mouth in mock contemplation. "But Terra, if you haven't got a voice, how is it you're getting married, hmm?" He strolled to the Duke, his eyes dropping in a threatening way. "Why Terra, he's a little old for you, isn't he? I don't think he'd be able to keep up with your fire." Frederick's eyes widened in fear, and in a moment his heart was removed from his chest and crushed right before his eyes.

When she heard his body thud as it hit the ground, her eyes amplified in anguish and terror. Her only safety, her only future crushed right before her eyes at the hands of a demon. "Now, that's better." He said, his voice sinister and malevolent.

She didn't realize tears were spilling from her eyes until his chest pressed up against her back and he whispered to her.

"Oh Terra, I think you and I both know he could never meet your standards. Killing him was a favor to you."

He placed a kiss under her ear before stepping back and releasing her from his spell. It was then that she unleashed her rage and swung her sword at him swiftly, successfully slicing a patch of flesh on his arm. She radiated hostility, and there was nothing but amusement in his features. She glanced down at injured piece of flesh, only to find it was gone. She started moving her lips furiously, mouthing words but knowing nothing would come out.

"Oh you'll have to excuse me Terra, it slipped my mind in all the excitement." He said, nodding at the shadow.

She froze with alarm, and he grinned with smug amusement.

"There now, why don't you try again?"

She paused, letting the fact that her voice could be back again sink in. Then she opened her mouth, sucked in a breath, and began to let every word she'd held in slip out in frantic sentences.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN 'TIME IS UP'?! I GAVE YOU MY VOICE TO GET OUT! I'M NOT GOING BACK!" She spat angrily at the shadow before turning on Pan with a pointed finger. "AND YOU!" She screamed, her finger digging into his chest. "MY FAMILY ARE NOT TRAITORS! THEY'RE SURVIVORS AND IF YOU LAY A FINGER ON THEM I WILL END YOUR VERY, VERY LONG LIFE NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES! AND YOU..." Her voice broke, her eyes filling with more tears and the makeup on her face smearing. "YOU KILLED THE ONE THING THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO MAKE ME HAPPY! KILLING HIM WAS NO FAVOR TO ME, IT WAS A FAVOR TO YOU! YOU DON'T THINK HE COULD HAVE KEPT UP WITH MY 'FIRE? WELL LET ME SHOW WHAT MY 'FIRE' IS CAPABLE OF! PREPARE YOURSELF, PETER PAN!" She hollered through the rage, her voice growling and biting.

She was suddenly swinging at him with her sword, but he was dodging all of her attempts to injure him. And at the worst time possible, one of her worst fears came true. Her dress got caught underneath her heel, she she fell forward onto her hands and knees. Peter Pan laughed loud and mockingly.

"I knew you wouldn't like coming back here, Terra. I know you better than anyone. I know that you hate the dressed, the makeup, the people, so why don't you just come back with me? You can keep your voice, I'll let you make friends with the lost boys, it'll be like old times."

"That's what I fear. I'm not going back to that hell hole, Pan." She said bluntly.

His mouth clenched up, his eyes suddenly glaring hard and angry. "Well Terra, you haven't exactly got a choice."

And with one look, _one look, _to the shadow, she was lifted into the air, Peter Pan and his boys trailing behind her.


	5. Chapter 5 He Would Never Lose Her

**_A/N: Hey guys, it's here. FINALLY! So we get some Felix here, but don't fall in love with him just yet. He's got some character developing to do. Anyway, it took me a couple days because my mother was being a crazy hormonal psycho. Anyway, She's back. Darn. So I want to hear your opinions, do you think we should get more Terra and Pan action? Do you think they should be together? I do notice that they are a lot alike, and I have some plans for them, but I'm not sure if I'm going to make them fall deeply in love and what not, so please let me know!_**

_Six Seconds._

Time is a funny thing.

It waits for no one, yet someone is always waiting for it.

It is free, but it is also priceless.

You cannot own it, but you can use it.

You cannot keep it, but you can spend it.

But no matter how you choose to use or spend your time, you must do it with caution.

Use it and spend it wisely, because once it is gone, it is irretrievable.

Terra Diggs took her time for granted all too often, and now that she was losing it for the second time, she felt the weight of her decisions over the two years since she'd returned crushing her, like an ant trying to carry a rock ten times its size. All those afternoons she'd wasted sleeping suddenly seemed terribly valuable. All those innocent game offers she'd rejected for work, of all things, were more precious than diamonds to her now, because now time would be useless. It would be eternal, but irrelevant, taken for granted, but not necessarily wanted. But most of all, time would be completely immobilized by the very fibers of Neverland. But Terra Diggs had wasted enough time already. Terra Diggs would fight to keep her time.

She persisted, still continuing to kick and gauge at the figure holding her several stories above the ground now. "I'm not going with you!" She yelled, distressed. She could care less if she plummeted to the earth below, because being stuck on that god-forsaken hell hole with the demon boy seemed like a fate far worse than death. He swore he'd have her, and it would appear that Peter Pan kept his promises just as she did.

Time was a bigger bastard in Neverland than it was in all the other realms. The only times you could really be sure it still existed, was when a small moment of life, joy or love would come along. You would feel it there, the sense of being and purpose suddenly swinging back into the life Neverland made you believe was meaningless and unwanted. But just when you would start to believe it was going to stay, that the worst was over, it would be gone just as fast as it had come, and then you could be sure that time was still around, and you'd feel cheated, like time only cared to come when you were enjoying it being gone.

_Six Seconds._

That was all it took. Six seconds and the pounding feeling coursed through her tired body, and Neverland air filled her lungs. She pitied the boys behind her who gasped in astonishment at the sight of it. They were still naive, ignorant to the horrors to come.

_Just like I was._

She thought wistfully, because she did miss that first day of Neverland. Some of the boys behind her thanked Pan, asking them to stay forever, if this was really happening. They'd soon find out just how real it was. And just like before, the shadow dropped her on the beach, and others followed. The only one who'd landed on his feet was Pan.

_Typical._

She looked up at the stars, and felt like crying. She really was back. No escaping this time. She looked at herself for reassurance that Neverland truly was a bleak and diasterous place to be. Her tattered and dirtied wedding dress was all the reassurance she needed. She kicked off her heels, wiped the makeup clear of her eyes and let her hair down. A breeze wrapped around her, hugged her thin frame and her hair grazed her neck and the ends rested on her shoulder blades. For a short instant, it felt like coming home, like reunited with an old lover who had missed you, its arms around you convincing you this time you'll be secure, this time it won't leave. As lovely as it sounded, the thought and feeling terrified her. Neverland was not a home, but a prison.

Peter welcomed the new boys indistinctly, pointing them in the direction of the camp, Felix appearing somewhere to lead them. She continued to space, sitting in the cold sand, misplaced clothing and accessories around her. The dampness cooled the ache of her feet, and her arms held her legs in place against her chest. A proud voice pulled her out of her head.

"Welcome back, Terra." He said softly, moving to sit next to her.

Every bone in her body wanted her to jerk away, to move far down the beach away from the demon boy. But her feet stayed in place, her body too tired to move. She didn't know what she was saying until she heard herself say it, a side effect to having her voice gone for so long, she assumed. "I want to go home. Why did you bring me here?" Her voice was low, hoarse and just loud enough for him to hear.

"But Terra, you are home. I brought you back so you could be happy again."

"This isn't home. Home is with Slightly, Nibs, Jack and Curly. Home is Slightly making us apple turnovers for breakfast, home is Jack playing his violin when I've had a bad day, home is where I was happy. Home is anywhere but here."

He paused, his jaw clenching. She preferred those loud, obnoxious traitors over him?

"Neverland can offer you so much more if you would give it a chance. Why can't you give me a chance?" He tried not to growl, after all she'd just gotten back and he wanted her to stay, but he couldn't help himself. He was tired of her refusal.

"You just abducted me from my wedding and killed my goddamn husband, and now you have the audacity to sit here and ask me for a second chance. What about Frederick's chance? He didn't get one, not when you decided to crush his heart." She said it monotonously, like she had been expecting this. He opened his mouth to speak, and by the looks of it, loudly, but she wouldn't give him the chance. "Don't you dare tell me it was a favor. It was NOT a favor. I'm not a child anymore, Pan, and you shouldn't be either. I wanted you to be something other than you are, but today.." She shuddered, her voice cracking. She collected herself, swallowing her tears and giving herself the courage to continue.

"You know what the worst part is? You don't even feel guilty. Not at all. In your eyes, he was just another number, he was useless. Neverland has poisoned you Pan, it has made you think human life is meaningless, but that is not the case. You have no guilt, because you are selfish, and that is the most child-like part of you."

For a moment, he just sat there, his eyes burning holes in the side of her head, but she wouldn't look at him.

"You don't see what I see. Stop trying to convince yourself you are so grown up, Terra. You are just as youthful as the day I brought you here." He said, mock compassion and gentleness in his voice. It almost sounded sincere, but something threw it off.

"That is seriously the only part you got out of that whole speech?" She spat angrily, moving to get up but tripping over her dress and falling forward. She was getting rather sick of this gown.

"It was the most important detail. The rest was just kind of boring and off topic." He said smirking with a shrug.

She scoffed loudly, taking off down the beach.

"Where are you going, Terra?" He called, amused by her sudden motivation.

"Away from you." She called behind her, only to find him in front of her again.

"Oh Terra, you still don't get it. There is no where to hide on this island, it's mine. There is no escape from me."

"We'll just see about that." She said pompously, brushed past him and heading towards the caves.

"Terra." He called to her, and she turned her head to see him motioning with his finger for her to come back. She rolled her eyes, and found no other alternative. If she didn't he'd probably just come to her, and pissed too.

"What?" She barked, she eyes glaring into his.

"You owe me two years worth of kisses." He whispered playfully in her ear.

She shuddered, visibly shaken by the sudden realization. She did owe him kisses.

"I don't owe you anything anymore. You killed my husband, we're even."

"Stop calling him your husband." He growled.

"Well, I was marrying him, wasn't I?" She responded defiantly.

He laughed loudly, mockingly. "Oh Terra, you can't fool me. I know you didn't love him."

She narrowed her eyes. "Maybe so, but I could have. He was going to be my happy ever after."

His face suddenly turned serious, all traces of mock and amusement gone. "No you couldn't have," he started with a sigh, "You just wanted to be happy. And he was rich, he could have supported you, but in the end, Terra, you were just _using him." _

Her eyes widened, and she felt horror fill her heart. She was using him.

Sensing her uneasiness, Pan continued with a smirk, invading her personal space and pressing his lips as close to her ear as he could get without touching it. "And you know what the worst part is, Terra? You didn't even feel guilty."

She was seeing red. How dare he turn her words against her like that. She did feel guilty... Sometimes.

She counted to six, trying to contain herself. Hitting him would do her no favors. When her eyes closed, he took the chance to move in and capture her lips. She froze, her hands on either side of her head. She quickly moved to push him away, but before she could he was gone and she was rubbing her lips in disgust.

"We can play again some other time, Terra, but for now I've got business to attend to." He said low and smug, his eyes glinting with amusement. She stared back at him, shocked and confused. Where was she supposed to go?

"You can go and get reacquainted with the island, I'll find you later." He said smirking, and moving to place a kiss on her forehead. She dodged it, stepping back, fire coming out of her eyes.

"See? I told you that you hadn't changed." And before she could protest, he was gone.

-X-X-X-

She wasn't sure where she was going.

She certainly wasn't going back to where _he _was.

So she wandered.

She was moderately sure she was heading towards the caves, she assumed she'd be safe there. Safety was all she had been wanting, for years now. Because she was so distracted with the bad memories of Neverland, she'd forgotten just how safe she was, and now that she was back, the two were easily compared.

She stopped for a moment to take a deep breath, one she needed greatly. The air smelled of fresh pine, like the Christmas trees Nibs used to cut down, mixed with mud and fresh rain, the kind they used to play in. It reminded her of home, intense nostalgia gripping her heart like heavy weights. She'd only been in Neverland for a couple hours, and already she craved home like it was the very oxygen she breathed. A fresh breeze chilled her uncovered skin. She had begun to resent dresses such as this one even more than before.

Letting out a groan of disapproval, she pulled on her hair and threw her hands in the air before letting them fall to her hips with a clap. She sat on a nearby rock, and began to tear off pieces of her dress.

She started with the puffy sleeves, then moved on to the bottom of her dress, which took a little more effort. Soon enough, she had ripped all around it, and it was now torn and skimmed over the top of her knees. When she was satisfied with the new alterations, she rubbed her feet gingerly. She'd been missing her shoes since the beach, and she'd stepped on a couple rocks and twigs a while back.

She paused, perking her ears up at the sound of rustling, like a small boy tumbling through the bushes. She shot her head to the side, from where the sound seemed to be coming from. She quickly sat up, unconsciously retreating backwards. While she was still a trained fighter, she was not in the mood. A large, dirty hand smacked onto her mouth like duct tape and pulled her backwards. She thrashed, not wanting a repeat of the first time she'd came, when the lost boys grabbed her and carried her to the camp.

"Shut up." The voice hissed irritated. "You'll scare it away."

She categorized the voice as Felix, knowing that only he could speak with that robotic, yet aggravated tone of voice. His voice was deep, controlling. It gave her chills.

Her eyes caught the over-sized boar trotting through the trees, snorting and sniffing out trails. She glanced up at Felix, excitement boiling in her belly for a reason she couldn't quite explain. He put a finger to his lips, staring at her right in the eyes, amusement glinting in his eyes just the same. He turned his head forward, inserting an arrow into his bow and pulling back, aiming and readying for a release. The arrow shot out with a snap, cutting through the air with a whoosh.

When they heard the boar give out a pained groan, they looked at each other excitedly, like two small children who'd just done something very smart and devious. They pushed through the bushes and out to fetch the creature. Terra couldn't help her sudden burst of joy, and she decided to revel in it, seeing as how it was rare and may be gone soon.

"That was brilliant! Mind if I try sometime? Felix how long were you tracking that?" She shot out questions, excitement erupting through her features.

"I suppose we'll just have to see if you still have skill, _chimera." _He answered with a proud smirk, suppressing his embarrassment quite successfully.

"You admit I have skill?" She said, a smirk gracing her features as well. She too suppressed her embarrassment, but not quite as well as he had.

He shrugged and removed the arrow from the beast, beginning to speak with a large exhale, "There are few people who manage to damage me."

She let her smirk grow into a grin, feeling like her and Felix were progressing. She was hoping she may have a real friend, even if he was glued to Pan at the waist. But she had no idea.

She decided to try her luck with him, curiosity winning her over. "If that's true, then how did you manage to get that nasty scar?"

He paused, his eyes meeting hers with a hint of distress. "I wouldn't suppose that's any of your business, _chimera."_

She shrugged. It was worth a try. Felix managed to hoist the boar over his shoulder like it was nothing, and she would've offered to help him had she been going the same way as he was.

As he was walking away, she called to him, wanting to ask him one final question.

"Wait, Felix, I have to ask you something."

He sighed loudly, annoyance dripping from his features. He dropped the beast and made his way back to her. "What?" He asked irately.

"Do you.. Do you know how to get to the caves?" She said, bashfully and with a blush. She hated that she was embarrassed, but he'd called her skilled before and now she was asking him for help.

He smirked and pushed past her to walk ahead.

"Where are you going?" She called, panicked by the thought of being on her own all of a sudden.

"To the caves. Keep up, _chimera. _Pan would be angry if I lost you." But he knew that Pan would never lose her. He was just playing his role. Or so he convinced himself.

But Terra knew Pan wouldn't lose her. He had just got done explaining to her that he always knew where she was, but she disregarded it, seeing as how he was leading her to the caves. Even if he wasn't, she could fight him off.

She jogged after him, her feet still aching.

"I'll keep up." She said, just a little breathlessly.

"Good." He said affirmatively, hints of malice in his speech and body movements. "Cause' we've got a long way to go."


	6. Chapter 6 Neverbirds

_**A/N: Hey fellas! Sorry it took so long, exams and what not. I'll try to be quicker. This chapter is a little lengthy, so that's good. We meet a familiar face tonight, I think you guys are gonna like him, I know I find him utterly adorable. So after this chapter, I want you guys to know that Felix is hiding things from Terra, and he does know more than she thinks, and I feel like she finally got a little glimpse of that in this chapter. Felix is the one Pan confides in all the time, so of course he knows a lot of stuff. But, aside from that, I have a friend who advises me on my plots, she tells me her opinion and I consider it, and try to think of what you guys would want. She told me that Peter Pan and Terra are not likely to be together, and I think she's right, and she wanted me to bring back Luke, but I don't know if I want him back. My original intention was that Peter Pan kind of... Killed him. Or something. I don't know, he was sort of irrelevant. Sorry. It's a hard truth. But I want to know what you guys want. Are you still on Pan's side for now, like me, or do you want a new love interest? I'm open to new things, so if you want the new character to be a love interest, I think it can be arranged. If you children are lucky, you might get another chapter tonight. So for those of you who don't really know much about Peter Pan, in J.M Barrie's original book, there was a Neverbird on the island that was magical and it saved Peter Pan from drowning on Marooner's rock. I added my own little twist to it, and I figured it was legit. Also, Indians... Hmmm... There's some interesting stuff in that story, I got some ideas from other fics. Tiger Lily, for instance, is gonna be really cool. It's a little tragic though... Anyway, rant over. Enjoy!**_

_**Chapter 6: The Neverbirds**_

"Hey Felix," Terra started, knowing he was listening despite his lack of head movement or words of confirmation. "How long have you been in Neverland?"

Felix grimaced. He hated it when they tried to be motherly with him. He sighed long and annoyed. "Oh I don't know." He did know. He had always known.

Terra frowned. He was making this a very unpleasant conversation, and a very uncomfortable trip. Well, more so than it already was. She cleared her throat and persisted, she did not like to accept failure. "Well, it must be a while considering how well you know the island."

He smiled, big and maliciously, like right out of a horror movie, when he turned to face her. "You _are _just like him."

She flinched, but collected herself, more suspicious than offended. "What do you mean?" He tried to continue walking, to shake it off, like he'd said something he shouldn't have, but she caught his arm and glared at him hard in the face. When he didn't answer, she said it again, with a bit more of a sneer.

"_What. Do. You. Mean?" _

He paused, but the horrendous smile found its way back onto his lips. "Like I said, just like him."

Her nostrils quickly flared. She was a lot of things, and sure, she'd done bad stuff before, but she was no Peter Pan. The very idea made rage swell up in her like a inextinguishable flame. She pushed her forearm into his throat and backed him up into a tree, attempting to cut off his air supply, just enough to scare him, not kill him. She wasn't sure who was stronger, but she didn't care. "Tell me what you mean!" she barked at him.

He smirked, big and toothy, and let his eyes drift beyond her head. They focused on the large black mouth of the echo cave before beginning to speak in a mocking tone, "We're here."

She kept her glare, refusing to break eye contact. She wasn't sure how he got his scar, but if someone had once managed to give it to him, why couldn't she? She dismissed the thought, remembering she was in his debt, and released him, quite reluctantly. "I want to know what you mean. True I am in your debt, but you owe me this piece of information."

"I don't _owe _you anything." He said, hints of anger in his voice.

"It involves me. I deserve to know." She bit out.

He scoffed. "You don't deserve anything. How arrogant of you to assume you do, _chimera." _

She eyed the dagger in his belt and smirked, quickly bringing her eyes back up to his before he could see her. "I just think I should get to know what goes on around here, now that I'm staying here."

He sneered, his lip curling in revulsion. "They usually think incompetent things like that. You got lucky the first time you escaped, but you were always going to stay here."

Successfully distracting his mind, she moved like a leopard and took his dagger. She backed him up against the tree again, pressing the dagger dangerously close to his vein. "Alright _Felix_," she breathed heatedly, "You're going to tell me what I don't know, or I'll show you what happens to people who deny me things."

He barked out an obnoxious, mocking laugh, coming to an abrupt stop and glaring at her. "Yep, you _are _like him"

"What do you mean?" She pressed the dagger threateningly hard, nearly breaking skin.

"Nothing." He spat out.

She figured that was a lost question, seeing as how he'd clearly rather die than tell her. She tried her luck with a new burning question. "Last time I was here there were voices in the cave. Who were they?"

He chuckled scornfully. "Maybe you just went a little 'kooky' from all the excitement _chimera." _

She glared and her face sunk into an irate scrunch, her eyebrows hooding her eyes into small slits. She finally managed to break the first layer of skin on his neck. "Tell me before I end your long, pointless life."

He matched her face, his eyes burning holes into hers. "Fine." He bit out wrathfully. "They're called the _Neverbirds_."

Confusion rushed through her features. She caught herself letting go and hastily returned her grip back to its place. "What are they? They sounded human."

He rolled his eyes and sighed, continuing sarcastically. "I guess you could call them the heart of Neverland. They have no real form, unless they want to. They are the only others with magic besides Pan and the Shadow. They used to run the island."

Terra was once again, confused. She stared at him quizzically. "I thought Pan and the Shadow ran the island."

"They do," he said, "but they didn't before. Before it was the _Neverbirds_. They know everything about the inhabitants."

"If they know everything, then why did they force me to tell them my secrets? I thought that was the magic of the cave!" She yelled frustrated. _Was I lied to?_

"I DON'T KNOW." He yelled, equally frustrated. Her eyes widened. She was going to kill a boy for such silly reasons. Realization clouded her brain as she looked into the scared and tired eyes of Felix. Neverland was turning her into a savage, just like it had him. Impulsively, pursed her lips, and dropping the dagger she pulled him in for a hug. For a small instant, she was sure he almost hugged back, but within the next he was shoving her away roughly, and spitting insults at her.

She rolled her eyes, reaching down to collect the small knife. "Thanks for the weapon. And for the directions. And for the information. I owe you a favor." And before she could hear his sarcastic, snide remark she was walking into the mouth of the dark cave to meet the _Neverbirds_.

* * *

Water dripped slowly from all different directions. It made her remember just how thirsty she was. Her corset was still on, making it incredibly difficult to breathe. She glanced around before turning to unlace it, removing her torn puffed up skirt in the process. A small, armless white slip that fell below her knees remained. When she reached the heart of the cave, different tunnels surrounding her, she began to call for the _Neverbirds._

"Hello?" She called nervously.

Instantly she was thrown back into a rocky wall by a figure just a little bit taller than her. She thrashed, but the figure persisted. It wasn't Pan, that she knew of, and if it were Felix, his hands would be much larger. She recalled when one of them had wrapped around her wrist.

"What are you doing here?" The male voice hissed.

She brought her knee up the stranger's stomach, and he jumped back in pain. She reached for her dagger, only to notice it was gone. "Looking for this?" The voice asked, pointing the tip against her throat. _My, how the tables turn_, she though ironically when he started questioning her. "Who are you?" He said angrily.

She tried to struggle, but he pushed the dagger further into her skin. "If you kick me again, I really will hurt you." He said with a hint of uncertainty.

"Who wants to know?" She retorted, she didn't know if she could trust this boy.

"I'm going to ask you again, who are you? And how did you get here?" He said, untrusting just the same.

"I'm Terra Diggs, the shadow dragged me here. _Again." _She snapped.

The boy looked taken aback, his hazel eyes clouding with doubt. "What do you mean 'again'?"

She sighed long and irritated. This boy couldn't possibly be with Pan and be _this _clueless. "Two years ago I managed to make a deal with the shadow and escape, only to be brought back earlier this evening."

The boy still wasn't convinced. This could be a story to lure him out. "How do I know you're not working with Pan? How do I know you _aren't _Pan?"

She rolled her eyes. "I guess you'll just have to trust me and give me a chance then, won't you?" She said sarcastically.

"That sounds like something _he'd _say." He spat, his anger returning and his uncertainty becoming scarce. If this was Pan, he'd have no problem killing him.

"I'm not a boy, _sir. _Want me to prove it? After all, I am in my undergarments." She sneered.

He scowled. "Pan has all kinds of magic. He could probably be a girl if he wanted to."

"If I were Pan, I wouldn't be running from him. If you're acquainted with Neverland, you'd know he doesn't go in the caves. I came in here to find the _Neverbirds, _not you. You found me. Now let me go." She snapped, her struggle returning just in time for him to release her.

"Fine, but I still do not trust you." He said, tucking the dagger in his belt and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Do what you'd like, but I am not in a good mood right now. I've just been compared to the devil twice. And yes, by the devil I mean Pan." She said, eyeing the dagger he was putting away. _There goes my only weapon. _She had lost her sword on the way there, dropping it as soon as they took flight by the shock that overtook her.

A ghost of a smile graced his features, and for a few moments he looked handsome. He couldn't have been older than fifteen, with shaggy brown hair and hazel eyes that had specks of green and gold. He must've been quite the charmer in his village. "My name's Baelfire." He said, putting out his hand to shake hers.

She took it, and responded to his firm grip. "You've got quite the upper body strength, Baelfire. Good fighting techniques too."

"Thank you. My father once taught me." He said, something crossing in his eyes.

"I would love to stay and chat, but I've got business. Do you know where I can find the _Neverbirds?" _She inquired.

"Nope. Sometimes if you walk that way long enough," he said, pointing to a tunnel ahead, "they're by the water."

"There's water in there?" She asked, a little excited.

"Yeah, how else would I have managed to live in here?" He snorted.

"You live here then?" She inquired.

"Yeah, it's safe. He can't get me here, and not many lost boys would dare step foot in here."

She pursed her lips, wanting to ask him, but feeling like he'd say no. She did it anyway. "Then… Would you.. Would you mind if I did too? Only for a little while."

He hesitated. He supposed he could handle her, if she kept her distance. "I guess you could stay, but don't… You know. I'm a little old for you."

She scoffed loudly. "Old? I'm older than you!"

He shook his head grinning. "No way, if I hadn't been taken to Neverland, I'd be 28."

"Whatever. I wouldn't go for a kid like you anyway." She said, rolling her eyes.

"I wouldn't go for a kid like you either." He retorted playfully.

There was a small silence before he started talking again. "You know, it's a long way to the _Neverbirds, _why don't I take you?"

"Nah," she started, her hand tugging on her hair, "I have to do this by myself."

She felt guilty at his disappointment, and offered atonement when she spoke in a light voice, "But if you're so desperate to help me, you could give me some stuff to take care of myself."

He chuckled and began walking away, calling behind him, "Follow me."

She looked around hesitantly before jogging after him.

Perhaps Neverland wouldn't be terribly awful now that she had Baelfire around.

* * *

"This is a belt, it might be a little big, but if we make some new notches you could probably fit into it." He said, handing her a large brown belt.

She frowned. "Yeah, I've seen belts before, Baelfire, don't worry, I know how they work."

He shook his head with a smirk. He often enjoyed her sarcastic retorts, it'd been a while since he'd found himself in the company of a girl. She cleared her throat at his sudden change in attitude towards her. He had gone from angry and untrusting, to carefree and happy. Perhaps he too knew that joy was rare in Neverland, and wanted to monopolize all of it.

"So where'd you get all this stuff anyway?" She inquired, wandering around his small cave area, placing her hand over the markings on the wall.

"Different places. A few of them I fought for, some of them I made, this and that." He said, concentrating on getting some sort of flame going.

"Well what are all these markings? They can't all be yours, unless you know how to draw really well."

He glanced up quickly, before shrugging and continuing with his handiwork. "Oh, well from what I hear, there used to be Indians."

"'Used to'? What happened to them?" She persisted, small twinges of sympathy washing through her.

"How should I know?" He said, slightly frustrated by his failure to start a flame. He could do it any other day after a couple tries.

She sighed before kneeling down to join him, pulling stray pieces of lint from her clothes and sticking them in the wood. With another try, they had a flame going.

"How did you do that?" He questioned, awe and disbelief in his voice.

She shrugged. "Sometimes it helps if you use dry pocket lint, dried moss of cedar bark. It works as tinder to get it going quicker. Why are lighting a fire right now?"

He was a bit impressed by her knowledge, and then he knew she had to be a little like him. "Good to know." He breathed, before continuing at answer her question. "Because while it's true Pan doesn't really go in the cave, the Shadow can, and the Shadow abhors light. That's why I made a trap." He said, holding up a coconut with a wick in it. The coconut shell had carved shapes in it, little stars and constellations of sorts. "One day, when I can, I'm gonna trap the shadow and use it to get out."

"That's smart. I thought the Shadow only feared daylight." She said, getting up to wrap the belt around her.

"It's a shadow, Terra, it fears all light." He said matter-of-factly.

"So what else have you got lying around these caves? What secrets have you given away to stay here?" She questioned, trying not to openly pry.

"I have all sorts of fun in here. I don't really have secrets, so I basically stay free of charge." He said, hints of nervousness here and there.

"Well, would you mind lending me some kind of shirt or coat or _something?_"

He shrugged and handed her a ratty, beat up green sweater that she happily accepted, throwing it on immediately. It was quite big on her, and hit her mid-thigh.

"And these will probably be way too big, but you can have them." He said, handing her a pair of make boots. She slipped them on easily, an inch of toe space for her feet to move around in them.

She stood up, smoothed her dress and met his eyes. "Well, I should be off then. I can't thank you enough, Baelfire."

"Wait, you're coming back aren't you?" He said, anxious and worried for the thin girl.

She smirked at the sudden creases of worry in his features. "Yeah, I'll be back some time tomorrow. I have some stuff to do." She paused, before adding a witty remark, "Besides, you know I can handle myself. You have the bruise on your stomach to prove it."

He grinned and his faith in her was restored, if only to a minimum. Terra had this air to her that made you want to trust her. Baelfire wanted to trust her, even if she could betray him.

"I'll be back soon, okay?" She said, waving and moving to leave his small cave area.

"Terra," He said, and he waited for her to turn and meet his eyes before continuing. "Be safe, okay? Don't let him get to you, I know you want to trust him, I knew someone else who wanted to trust him too, but he will betray you. Don't let him get in your head."

She nodded, a little bit taken-aback by his sudden outburst, before finally exiting his cave, and moving out into the bigger one. It had to be very early morning now, and she still had a long way to go before she could sleep.

Yes, time certainly was a bastard in Neverland.


	7. Chapter 7 Destiny

_**a/n: I'll keep it brief. Sorry for the slow update, exams are eating me alive. This is a great chapter, but a few things first. I know what you're thinking, that I created Terra to match Pan, but the thing is Terra isn't Peter Pan. I didn't plan to make Terra so similar to Pan, but when I thought about it, they were kindred spirits. So tell me what you think about this whole 'destiny' thing. I thought it was cute, but I'm not sure how I'll plot it out yet. She is still kind of on the fence about Pan. She's at that time where she's trying to go from 'he's a murderer and a terrible person', to 'I feel bad for him, maybe I should talk to him a little more, he's a little like me.' I had a thought while writing this. Terra stole and stuff. Pan was a cheater who 'stole' from people and got hsi reputation by doing so. It made me wonder what would have happened if people knew Terra was the one stealing from them. Just something to think about. If you find any other intriguing things, feel free to let me know. I love reading observations and connections and things, i think it's interesting, so really, don't be shy:) **_

_**Kay, here it is.**_

_**Chapter 7; Destiny**_

Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved. Terra Diggs had always wondered about destiny, if it existed or not. Terra Diggs often thought she was far too smart to believe in destiny, but then she thought that perhaps there was such a thing, because it seemed like only people in denial believed in pure chance and coincidence. She figured the question that should be asked is does the walker choose the path, or does the path choose the walker? Yet since Neverland, Terra Diggs questioned her logics more than ever, her carefully constructed theories seemed so far off. Neverland made Terra want to believe in destiny, so that she would not have to blame herself for her sufferings. It was curious how Neverland could give you confidence, but also cause you to doubt yourself; could force you to face your problems, yet give you reasons and ways to run from them. It always seemed like different forces were at war in Neverland, equally matched sometimes, but other times one force ruled the other out.

The words of the Neverbirds hurled through her brain, bouncing off the walls of her skull and shattering her disbelief, skepticism, logics and theories about destiny like priceless vases in an antique store. The crashes made her flinch. "I don't believe in that crap." She said, her voice low and shaky. She didn't know what she believed. They knew that. The spirits chuckled softly, their faces sharing looks amongst each other. They were wispy looking creatures, their faces changing whenever they wished. She could tell that they were very powerful.

"I fail to understand. Please, explain your logic." The first voice said, earlier identifying himself as Aelius. He was always intrigued by new information.

"My father didn't die because it was his 'destiny'. He died because he didn't take care of himself." She said sarcastically.

"Your father's passing was sorrowful, but I fear you hide in your ignorance. Why don't you come into the light?" The only female voice, Petronia, asked in a soft motherly voice. She was the true mother of Neverland, and Peter Pan often tried to match her empathetic talents.

"Hide in my ignorance? I'm not buying your story, that's not ignorance, that's disbelief." Terra explained, anger rising in her voice. She had gotten there minutes ago, and already they were telling her of her 'destiny'. She felt a pang of guilt for snapping at the female, but quickly shook it off. She didn't have time for tales of destiny and romance. She needed answers and plans to get off the island.

"Story? Our 'story' holds truth, and the only way to find out where to go next is to truly discover where you are now. You promise the inhabitants of Neverland that you are not lost, but you fool for me a lost girl, Terra Diggs." The other male voice, Horatius, answered with a certain kind of cynicism to his voice. He was the blunt one, the impatient and forceful one. They all completed each other, and it was quite fascinating.

She pursed her lips tightly. She had forgotten they knew her mind like the back of their hands, but clearly not as well as they thought they did. Perhaps they were blinded to one spot, and that one spot that they didn't know was the one she wanted them to know the most, the one she wanted everyone to know. Terra Diggs was not a lost girl. She knew where she was, and lost meant depending on people like Peter Pan, but Terra Diggs could count on herself. She glanced up at the spirits, anew found confidence enlightening her features. She was instantly reminded of who she was, the person Neverland made her forget moments earlier. She was not a savage, or a saddened little girl. She was grown now, and like Peter Pan had so courteously once reminded her, she was a tough lass.

"Tell me everything. I want to know my destiny, and I want to know everything of Neverland." She said conclusively, deciding that arguing about destiny would get her nowhere.

The spirits smiled, exchanging glances between one another as if deciding who would speak first and what they would say. They were happy for the girl, and perhaps it would be a little far to say they knew their words would have this outcome. In the end, Petronia was chosen to speak first, her eyes shifting and focusing on the figure in front of her.

"Peter Pan has only been in love once before." She said, noticing the small flinch in the figure's stance. Terra certainly found it hard to grasp that the demo-, Peter Pan, she corrected herself, could have ever loved. He seemed heartless to her, even more so now that she'd seen him kill a man in cold blood. She found missing pieces of her mental puzzle coming together. She was beginning to understand just how things came to be the way they did.

"She was a permanent inhabitant of the island, we were the ones who saved her tribe from destruction and allowed them to stay." She continued, glancing at the others to see if they approved. They nodded at her and she let more of the story tumble out from her memory, where it had stayed for centuries.

"The Indians." Terra said matter-of-factually, noting the key word 'tribe'.

"Yes, the Indians. They came before Peter Pan did, and Peter knew the princess before he became a permanent resident of the island. As you have noticed, Neverland is typically a dreamland, a place for all children to visit in their dreams. Peter Pan, before Neverland, was born with the name Malcolm. He was one of those children. He came night after night, bonding and falling in love with the Indian Princess, Tiger Lily. He came for years and years, and their love grew with the time that they spent. But Neverland is only for children, and eventually, all children grow up. Malcolm vowed to Tiger Lily that he'd find a way back to her, even if it meant his death."

Petronia paused, letting the large amounts of information sink in. Terra was still yet to understand her emotions. She certainly was not jealous, his past was his past. She pitied him, because of the person it made him to be today. Surely it was horrible if it turned him into that kind of monster. But still, she wanted to hear about it anyway, for some reason she felt like it might help her overcome her very confusing feelings for him. Perhaps shed some light on it, but she couldn't face her feelings just yet. She'd wait until after the story.

"Malcolm tried to fight his way back to Neverland, once, twice, several times. But he soon realized he was too old now, and even if he found his way back to his love, she would not love him the same way she did, for who could ever love a 'wrinkled old man'? Malcolm, in his grief, turned to bad resources, all the wrong emotional outlets. That is how he got his awful reputation."

Terra's eyebrows knitted in confusion. "What reputation?"

Petronia sighed. She was more ignorant than they'd originally thought. "Malcolm was known as a cheater, a swindler, a robber, a coward and a heartless man. He was not a boy anymore, and he'd lost his parents from the countless attempts to return to the island. He'd abandoned them, and he'd no clue where they were now. He had nobody anymore."

Terra's eyes widened, first with shock, and then with sympathy. They were similar. If people had known Terra was the one robbing them, the one taking their goods, how would they have treated her? Suddenly what Felix said made sense. But then she realized, Felix knew a lot more than he'd let on. Perhaps Felix knew Pan better than she thought, and perhaps he already knew the majority of what the Neverbirds were telling her. The thought both frightened and intrigued her at the same time. She was awakened from her thoughts when Petronia continued with the story.

"Somewhere in his timeline, Malcolm slept with a woman. He was not sure of her name, she was just meant to be one of those 'outlets', but all his actions caught up with him when months later, the woman arrived beside him, very pregnant and distressed."

"Peter Pan… Is a father?" Terra asked incredulously. She felt disgust pool in her gut, still mixed with a small bit of sympathy. The thought of Peter Pan doing such things with anyone made her feel disgusted, it was increasingly hard to imagine, and she didn't bother to. Then she thought of the child; the spawn of Peter Pan. She couldn't tell if the sympathy was for Pan or for his poor kid.

"Yes, he is a father. The woman, unfortunately, perished through her childbirth, leaving Malcolm with her son, Rumplestiltskin. Malcolm was immediately very distraught, he could barely support himself, much less a boy. In the end, he decided to keep the child, despite his selfishness, he did love Rumplestilskin, his only son and family. But still, thoughts of Neverland were always in his mind, especially when he was cheating for his son. His very presence in the world outside of Neverland was damaging for his son, that's how Malcolm perceived it.

So yet again, after constantly being kicked around and degraded for his actions, Malcolm continued his search for a way to return to Neverland. But still, a part of him belonged to his son, and wanted to wait until Rumple could be happy on his own. So he set out to find a real job, sending his son to two of his oldest friends, wool spinners. But Rumple resented being left alone, and Malcolm resented leaving him, since he knew so well of loneliness. So he gave him a doll, one made of straw, and Rumple had chosen to name it Peter Pan."

"That's why he chose that name." Terra concluded, speaking for the first time in a while. Petronia nodded, and resumed her very long tale of Neverland.

"Despite what he said, Malcolm could not find a job. He still dreamt of Neverland, and he drank himself into a stupor yet again. He concluded that he could still be a boy, that he didn't need to have a job or responsibilities. He could be free if only he let himself be."

Terra found shocking parallels to what he'd said to her when she first arrived in Neverland. So many of the things he'd said to her paralleled with his personality, she had so many direct signs of who he was, yet she'd ignored them, and for what? She knew he was a boy. She knew he was immature. But she didn't know he had such a direct experience with 'grownup things'. She assumed he was just trying to convince her to stay. She scorned herself for all the times she'd so ignorantly told him that she too resented work, the world. She was like Peter Pan.

"Then why do you insist on taking up his work? I don't understand why you trouble yourself with such grown up things."

"You were abandoned, not properly cared for, tossed about from one place to another, and that hurts my heart. I want to help you, but I can't if you won't allow me to. Must we play such boring games when we can play much better ones?"

"Forget them, Terra. Forget them all. Stay with me where you'll never, never have to worry about grown up things again."

"What are you holding onto, Terra? Why can't you just let go?"

He knew their similarities, he knew her because he knew himself. Terra hated being similar to Peter Pan, she did, but she couldn't help being herself.

"Around that time, Rumple acquired a magic bean, and it allowed the travel between realms. Malcolm considered it fate, and decided to use it to travel to Neverland. Finally, he could return. Malcolm told his son stories of Neverland, its loving embrace and dreamlike features. Rumple had decided, thanks to the help of his father, that Neverland was the place for them to start over. They soon began their journey there, jumping into the portal and holding onto each other. Soon after arriving on the island, Malcolm was overjoyed by the feel of the sand and the smell of the breeze. Finally he was reunited with the island. His island. But Rumple wanted to start over, he wanted to stay with his father for eternity. But Malcolm couldn't have that. He soon realized that the more time he'd spent with Rumple, the less he felt like a boy. He felt like he had to work, and he didn't have a choice.

He knew it more than ever when he came into contact with pixie dust, and realized it had no effect on him anymore. Pixie dust doesn't work on grown ups.

It was around that time when the Shadow sensed the shadow had become a piece of Neverland in the time spent on the island, but it still was a piece of Malcolm as well. So it sensed Malcolm's wanting, and in turn, Malcolm sensed was when Malcolm knew what he had to do."

Terra felt horror rush into her. She couldn't believe his actions."He gave Rumple to the Shadow." She said, not questioning, just seeking confirmation.

"Yes, he gave his son to the Shadow, and in doing so, regained his youth. It was then that, in his guilt, he took upon the persona Peter Pan. But his story doesn't end there. He dashed to find his love, his only love. Immediately, she knew who he was and that he'd returned for her. Letting her passion overcome her, they embraced. But her father, the Chief, did not approve. His years had taught him much, and he knew that Peter Pan's appearance was unnatural. He knew that Peter Pan had broken the rules, that he'd cheated. So to protect his daughter, they prohibited any contact with the boy, and thus their love had become forbidden. But Peter Pan persisted. They both did, and continuously went to meet each other.

But not soon after they'd been meeting, The Chief had grown suspicious, and sent a guard to follow her. The guard had caught Tiger Lily with the boy, doing the most forbidden act of all. The act that only those married should be doing. Immediately after returning that night, the Chief had a meeting with his council. In the end, for disobeying her tribe and defiling her innocence, Tiger Lily was sentenced to death."

It was quiet for a moment, like a silent requiem for Tiger Lily was passing through the air. Terra was first to speak. "How did she die?" She asked, lumps in her throat.

"She was burned." Aelius said, emotion crossing his face as well.

"Peter Pan sought vengeance for his lost lover. He felt like fate had bested him, tricked him into believing he could be free. The night after Tiger Lily was killed, he and the Shadow wreaked havoc on the tribe, burning it to the ground and killing every last Indian. That was how Peter Pan lost his humanity. But still, after wiping out the Indians, Peter Pan was lonely, and we were angry. Us Neverbirds, we loved the Indians, and Malcolm had been a friend of ours. We felt betrayed."

You used to rule the island, yes?" Terra asked, making sure Felix hadn't lied to her.

"Indeed we did. But when we tried to talk sense into Pan, he grew malicious, got it in his head we were going against him and trying to make him leave the island he'd worked so hard to return to." Horatius said.

"With the help of his shadow, and his newly acquired magic, Pan trapped us in the cave and took complete control of Neverland." Aelius said.

"We would escape," Petronia started, "But we fear the state of Neverland. We fear it is not yet our time to escape."

"And that my dear," Aelius concluded, "Is the history of Neverland."

"What does this have to do with my escape, my destiny? Don't get me wrong, I feel bad and all, but I'd like so know what this has to do with me." Terra said confusedly.

"Oh Terra," Petronia started compassionately, "Don't you see? The similarities? The coincidences?"

"Neither of you 'chose' each other. Your meeting wasn't random, it was designed." Aelius said.

And suddenly, it made sense. The breezes, the deaths, the coincidences.

"Peter Pan is your destiny, Terra Diggs, and you are his. That is why you are here today, and that is why he has done what he has to have you. You think he just 'ran into you' and that he's just using you, that it's all a lie. But even before he knew you, he knew of you. He knew you would be the one for him because years ago, we had this very same conversation with him. He is your half, and you are his. He needs you to complete him."

And then it was all becoming clear. But the clarity surfaced more questions. If Peter Pan knew of her even before they met, then how did he meet her? Just how had he run into her that one day? And why, of all things, did Peter Pan, the immortal demon boy, need love?

Looks like Terra Diggs was wrong. The walker didn't chose the path, and the path didn't choose the walker, the person on the path dragged her that way.

Perhaps destiny was more real than she thought.


	8. Chapter 8 Faith, Trust

**a/n: Hey guys, chapter 8 is here! So here's the deal, Terra is still on the fence, which is rough, I know, but it makes you want to root for her, doesn't it? He has lied to her, and he's done a lot of bad things to her, which I think we all kind of forgot, but after the talk with the Neverbirds, she's kind of rushed back into reality, and she realizes he hasn't been at all truthful with her, and because of what he's done it is really hard for her to believe he actually likes her. I'm finding it hard to believe myself. So recently I've been thinking of putting Emma and her crew in this one, since it would make more sense, so please let me know. I've secretly been fangirling out about the idea of Pan as Henry and 'Henry' talking to Terra… **

**As always, your reviews and such are greatly appreciated! This chapter is kind of long, it took me a few days to write. The song I liked for this chapter is 'Where is My Mind', the piano instrumental version by Maxence Cyrin. **

Chapter 8: Faith, Trust

"…I don't understand. Evaluate," Terra Diggs spoke softly, successfully concealing her uneasiness and growing concerns.

"It is how it is. He is the one you were destined to be with." Horatius said.

She held her head in her hands, tugging at her hair as if to make sure she was not dreaming. It couldn't hurt to try. She left her hands at her face, covering her eyes, repeating the single two lettered word 'no' to herself over and over again, like a litany to the gods above, hoping that somehow they could rearrange destiny, just for her. Her senses knew that it was impossible, and she soon lost the ability to contain herself. "IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. I-I never knew him. He was a stranger. How did he know me? Does he know? About me? About our.. Destiny? Has he been lying to me? Why does he need me? Pan doesn't need a soul mate, that's garbage. He's using me. I know it. Don't just sit there, EXPLAIN YOURSELVES!"

She hollered frantically, pacing in circles and throwing her hands around, her eyes wide and panic-stricken, like a small animal having a heart attack. She never wanted to trust Peter Pan. She did at some points, but she was always suspicious of him. He was lying, he was a liar, always had been. He'd lied so many times, but forced her to believe he was an honorable boy. What a joke.

_"__You're a father?"_

_"__No. You might say I'm a friend."_

**One.**

_"__I'd like to think it wasn't me who chose you, but you who chose me."_

**Two. **She especially hated that one. He had made her sound like she was some kind of puppy that he'd found in a pet store, and she'd let him speak about her in that manner.

_"__I didn't force you here, the shadow did."_

**Three.**

So many times he'd lied to her, and the worst part was that she believed him. They built up, like sticks for a fire. But now she was ready to set them to flames, the lies and her old self, the one that made her forget Peter Pan was a monster.

"We don't read minds, Terra. We know what we are allowed to know. While it is true that we've told Peter Pan this same tale of destiny, we have already said far too much. If you are so interested in the mind of Peter Pan, ask him." Aelius responded calmly, in an attempt to coax the girl out of her internal struggle. "Peter Pan may be a liar, but I believe he has motives, and they may not be as bad as you believe them to be."

Immediately, she began walking south to the exit of the cave, her oversized shoes clanking against the stones. "Where is she going now?" Horatius inquired, agitated.

"To find answers." She said sternly, adjusting the sword in her belt.

"Good Luck, Terra Diggs." Aelius called.

"And remember, you are always welcome back here." Petronia said compassionately.

"Yes, and tell us of Peter Pan's words." Horatius hollered at her, just before she stepped out of vision.

Faintly, they heard her say 'I will'.

Terra Diggs was quite anxious. The words the Neverbirds had spoken were yet to sink in, and she unconsciously looked for things to occupy herself with, whether it be the hem of her flimsy white under-dress, the stray yarn loose in her green sweater, or even the ends of her hair. Her belt was still firmly wrapped buckled at her waist, a sword and a leather canteen winded in it. She felt as ready as she'd ever be, but then again, that still was not enough. She doubted she'd ever be ready enough to face the demon boy, destined to be her lover.

She still resented the feelings of love somewhere in her. The majority of her past 'lovers' had been quite older than her, and usually they were the types you'd find hanging around in pubs. She knew they were only messing around, looking for a young stray to fill the gaps in their lives, but she still valued their attentions, if only for a brief little while. That was one thing Terra had soon learned about herself. She enjoyed attention; she had lacked it for much of her life, her father always too busy to spare more than a glance or a couple words most days and her mother disappearing at a young age.

Perhaps that was what drew her to Pan; he was one of the few boys who'd given her full attention. He made her feel valued, safe, the things she'd always looked for. But she didn't need safety anymore; she had safety. She realized that just like her, Pan valued attention, but he was far too selfish. He wanted all of it, he wanted her to _need _him_, _and that was something she just couldn't give him while living with the boys. Terra didn't need the attentions of Peter Pan anymore, no matter how much she still desired them. Pan was dangerous, and she grew tired of the fact that she could always forget who he was.

She stepped out into the musky air of the forest, it was quite foggy that evening. She'd lost track of time in the caves, and neglected to keep the hours. She didn't like it dark; dark meant less vision power, and the less power she had the more power he did. She closed her eyes, breathing in the smell of mud and trees, and listened carefully. Peter Pan was good, but she doubted he got be absolutely silent, not when the forest was deafeningly silent. She knew that he was well aware of where she was; he always did. He knew she went to the caves, if not because he felt it then because Felix informed him, and it wouldn't be long until he arrived.

She heard the telltale rustling and just _knew. _Some would take it as a sign of love, of devotion, but she took it as caution; an assured safety measure. And for once, she spoke first.

"I know you're there; I _hear you." _She said, her voice even and attempting monotone. She _heard _him smile, and move from wherever his position has been before. He approached her, a few steps away, and began to speak. "Well that was quite clever of you _chimera, _did'yaget that from Nibs?" She opened her eyes to a face lit by the moonlight, his face, graced with a proud smirk, his usual one. And for a few moments, she was breathless, like she hadn't seen him in decades, centuries even. But she didn't want to lose it all for a boy who was only lying. She didn't want to get lost anymore, it sickened her.

She fixed herself, her eyes drooping into a hooded anger and her stance falling into one of aggression. "You said you would never lie to me. You said you'd never lied." She sneered, a thick, husky anger accenting her voice and lacing it with venom. She adjusted her breathing, hoping to resist the urge to claw at him.

"Well, lying is a bit of a stretch. I _bended _the truth a bit, but never a lie." He said nonchalantly, with just a hint of his own venom. His eyebrows danced at her, as if figuring her out, taking her in even. She was always interesting to him.

"Liar." She barked, circling him, like for once he was the prey and she was the carnivorous animal. _My, how the tables turn, _she thought arrogantly.

"But haven't you heard, Terra? We're _destined. _I would never lie to my destined one." He said tauntingly, small edges cutting into his words. Suddenly, she felt a whole new rage slip into her. The awful feeling turned her guts and made her feel even sicker than before.

"You don't know me. Don't pretend you know me. You have _never _known me. But don't worry, Pan, because I know you quite well now. I'm sure Felix has informed you about my visit to the Neverbirds, and I have inferred based on the new information that you have been lying to me all along. This makes me entirely certain that your personality is repulsive, even more-so than the way you speak to me." She said vituperatively, taking on a defensive stance, seemingly holding an invisible sword.

His eyes narrowed, and he half chuckled, more malicious than actually amused. "Oh but I do know you. I know you plenty. I think it's you that doesn't know me, but don't you worry about that too much love, we've got eternities here to really get to know each other."

She felt her heart clang angrily. He hadn't even bothered to acknowledge her insults. "You think that I'd forget? That I've forgotten all the horrible, awful things you've done? You were gonna kill Tootles. You did kill Frederick. You took me from my home, _twice_. You once tried to strangle me with your magic. Yes, I remember that too, you know, when I accused you of caring for me and you lifted me in the air by my neck? You take boys away and convince them that they have no hope, that you're the only one who can save them. You take advantage of people, you constantly humiliate me, and you think I'm stupid enough to buy into your lies. And I'll admit Pan, you were quite convincing. I almost believed you, you almost had me. But I caught on. You can't fool me twice. I know you were using me. I know you're a cheater. I know everything now, and I won't trust you anymore. I've been forgetting too often lately, and it won't happen anymore." She said, rationality coming back. She really did want to believe he wasn't as bad as he was, but the better parts of her told her not to.

"But I do care for you, Terra, I was just scared, like you used to be. But you don't have to be scared anymore. We can be together now, a family, me, you and the boys. I only do what I do to survive, you understand that, right?" He said pretentiously, slivers of mock innocence and affection caking his voice.

"That's what I used to think, all the time. I was scared, but you are not scared Peter Pan. You're not at all like me. The difference is, I feel bad for the things I've done. I don't lie to people. I still have humanity, and you've long since lost yours. You openly told me you didn't care about hurting people. I begged you to spare my friends and you told me you didn't care. It's all about you. _You, you, you_, never anyone else. You don't care about me, you just know my weaknesses, and you play them whenever you see fit. But I won't succumb to my desires, not anymore. I'm not a little girl anymore. I've grown, and it's quite clear to me that you haven't. And something tells me you never will, and I won't damn myself to such a fate." She was losing her defensive, her stance fading into a slouched sadness. She wished it didn't have to be this way, but she knew better now. She had always believed that maturity was doing things, even if you didn't want to. And now she was finally acting on it.

"I care so much for you, Terra. You're all I've ever cared about. I would never do those things to you." He said, such thick, fake sweetness strangling all the love out of his words.

"LIAR!" She roared carnivorously, quickly unsheathing her sword and diving toward him. He was gone in the instant she swung it, and for a few moments she damned herself for forgetting her purpose for confronting him. She didn't come to persecute him, she came for answers.

When she heard him behind her, moving to put his arms around her, she remained still, unfazed by his forged love. "But you have done those things, Peter, especially to me. Stop lying for once and answer me straightforwardly. Like you said, I'm stuck here anyway, so it won't matter whether or not I hate you."

The words _I hate you _stung him more than he'd have liked to admit. She was meant for him, the only one who wouldn't think badly of him, that's what _they _told him. He was told she'd without a doubt believe in him, love him. He was supposed to finally have someone, forever, who wouldn't secretly hate him or disregard his words. But he was lying, and he supposed he'd hate it more if she was easy to fool.

"Don't hate me Terra. You and I, we need each other." He said, his voice completely foreign to her. Now she couldn't tell if he was really telling her the truth, so she fully chose to deny it. She chose to believe it was a new way to lie to her.

"Then answer me seriously. When did you first meet me? And don't say it was when we ran into each other that one day, because you and I both know that's not true. You wouldn't just walk right into a stranger, that's not you." She said unsympathetically.

He released her from his one-sided hug and moved to face her, a smirk pushing his dimples into view. His eyebrows danced questioningly. "Are those new clothes, Terra? I wonder just where it is you acquired them from." She stiffened, categorizing this voice as his manipulative kind. He knew exactly where they came from.

"Let's see now, who do we know that hides out in the caves? It couldn't possibly be the Neverbirds, they've no use for such material goods. Ah, I think I know. It couldn't be the little boy Baelfire, could it? Have you made a new friend, Terra?"

She adjusted her shoulders, allowing them to move back into a straight line. She would show him she was not afraid anymore, especially not when Baelfire was safe in the caves.

"You're quite good at that, aren't you? Making friends. Just like me. I make friends too, Terra. People like us, we're easy to trust."

"But not right to trust." She growled. "You can't hurt him, he's safe in there, and I doubt your boys can find him in there, he's got quite the hiding place."  
He put a hand on his chest, imitating hurt. "Who said I was going to hurt him? Why Terra, you're awfully quick to doubt me."

She rolled her eyes. "You've unsuccessfully changed the subject, Pan. Now tell me how you first targeted me."

"Ouch, I've been demoted back to Pan now?"

"Stop it."

"Fine." He said through gritted teeth, "But keep in mind that I don't have to tell you anything, _chimera, _I'm only telling you this because I want to."

"Oh I've been demoted back to chimera now?"

He smirked at her. "The truth is Terra I didn't exactly 'meet you'. See before it was just me and the children who visited in their dreams, but they couldn't stay, and I was getting… Lonely. So I decided to start finding young boys to take with me, ones who needed homes. But that was years ago."

"Stop stalling." She said annoyed, rolling her eyes at his attempt at a big dramatic story. If he wanted sympathy he wouldn't get it from her.

"I'm not," he growled, "This is a piece to the story."

"Then clearly this'll be a long one." She said with a sigh, stepping back to find a rock to sit on.

"Impatient, are we?" He said with a smirk.

"You know better than anyone." She said, reaching down for her water and motioning for him to continue mid-drink.

"My first group of boys seemed well-fitted for the island, the first week they loved it, fighting, chasing pirates, the whole lot of it. But they grew tired of my games, and they rallied against me. Well, all except one, but I get the feeling you're not nearly patient enough for me to ramble into that story."

She stared at him, waiting for him to continue.

"I had no choice but to return them."

"Wow, you didn't kill them? Shocker." Terra said sarcastically.

He gritted his teeth. "After the first group left, I felt… Betrayed. I thought I was to spend eternity alone."

"What about Felix?"

"Well Felix is loyal, yes, but Felix has his own motivations. So, much like you, I decided to pay a visit to my old friends in the caves. That was when I learned of you. Well, your coming."

Terra felt repulsed. "You knew about me before I was born?"

"Come now _chimera_, wipe that awful look off your face. It can't be that bad. You should feel flattered, after all, I waited for you for decades."

Her lips curled up in disgust. "You hung around me when I was a baby?"

He scoffed. "Of course not love."

She sighed with a relief, but his words were too sonly celebrated.

"I had the shadow watch over you, wait until I could take you back with me."

She jumped to her feet. "YOU WHAT?"

His eyebrows raised at her sudden outburst. "Well I had to make sure you were really the one somehow Terra."

"Y-yeah but not like that! That's…. Weird." She struggled for words. Her whole life she thought she was secretive, kept to herself. But he already knew everything about her.

"Oh it doesn't matter to me love. Your previous life is forgotten now."

"It matters to me. Don't call me love. My name is Terra."

They bickered back and forth, before she found a new burning question.

"You always planned to take me back with you. Why?" She asked skeptically.

"I told you I'm lonely. What's a boy to do without his destined lover around?"

"Stop with the destined lover nonsense. I know that's not true."

His eyes narrowed into thin slits. "Why is it so hard for you to believe that anyone could love you?"

She smirked proudly. She was finally the one getting to him. "It's not, I just don't believe that you do. Why do you need me?"

His enraged face quickly rose to a perky leer. "See that's what I love about you Terra. So much more than a pretty face."

"Tell me." She sneered.

"Or what? You'll kiss me again?" He mused.

"No, I'll tear you limb from limb and bury you in the bottom of the ocean." She growled.

"Is that a threat? You've grown rather audacious. You should know better than to threaten me."

"What? Are you going to hurt your destined one, Peter Pan? I thought you said you'd never hurt me." She said curtly.

"So am I expected to let you 'tear me limb from limb' then?" He said with a smirk.

He was good. Bur since he'd so clearly avoided telling her his plans, it was obvious he had some. He needed her for something.

"If you knew I was meant for you, then why didn't you take me sooner? Wouldn't it have been easier to take me right after my father died, when I was vulnerable?" She inquired suspiciously.

"Would you have preferred I did that?"

"I would have preferred not to go at all."

He laughed, genuinely this time. Terra was always entertaining to him. "I didn't want you vulnerable, Terra. I want you brave, courageous, stubborn as hell. That's my _chimera." _

"Okay what about before my father passed? When I was detached and willing to leave?"

"I doubt you would've left your father, Terra."

"Yes I would have." She argued.

"Perhaps, but you would have been more eager to leave."

She pursed her lips. She hated it when he was always right. He took her silence as an opportunity to change the subject, successfully this time.

"Did you know, Terra, that in Neverland, you can have anything you'd like?" He said authentically. She brought her eyes up to his, curiosity and excitement in them, just like how they were before. She was reverting back, just like he knew she could.

"You can have anything, anything at all, if only you wish hard enough and think lovely thoughts. You didn't have to go to Baelfire for refuge, you didn't have to wear that dress. Your mind is too busy with grown up things when it doesn't need to be." He coaxed her gently, eagerly awaiting her response.

"Would you… Would you teach me?" She said quietly, letting her curiosity get the better of her. It would be useful to know this for later, which was the only reason why she was doing this. The fact that technically it included bonding with Pan on some level was merely coincidence.

He smiled big and devilishly. He knew he could still get her to comply with him, to let go. He loved her like that. "Just think it. Whatever you want, just believe it could happen and it will. I know you can do this, Terra. You've flown before."

She stared at him, trying to find a bluff, a lie in his eyes, or at least a taunting air like usual. But there was nothing. He was speaking genuinely. For once, he was telling her the truth, a useful truth. Her eyes didn't leave his, her head still turned toward his even when her lids feel shut. She felt her heart swell. What she wanted most was an apple cupcake, what she wanted most was the dagger Curly made her, the one with faulty edges and messy initials imprinted in the side. T.D, her initials shakily engraved into the dagger he made her for her birthday. She wanted more than anything to hear the songs Jack would play her, she wanted more than anything to hear Nibs tell her about his new ploy, his new ideas. But she couldn't have those things. She lost track of her thoughts, her mind focusing on the steady breathing of the boy next to her, making sure he wouldn't trap her, that he wouldn't move away from a crowd of boys to kick at her again.

"How do you expect to really believe if your mind is elsewhere?" Peter Pan said into her ear huskily.

"I'm sorry if I'm less than trusting." She hissed sarcastically.

"But you have to trust me this time, or it won't work. Just believe in what I told you."

She sighed at his words, internally rolling her eyes and refocusing her thoughts. She hastily went back in her mind, checking over every detail of what he'd said to reassure herself that he was not lying.

When she finally thought his words made sense, she thought of her boots. The ones back home that actually fit, the ones she buried away in her closet in the mass of heels and matching dresses Frederick bought her. The ones with scuffs and dull bronze buckles, leather and laces that went all the way up to her knee. She missed those boots. They were easy to run in with hardly a heel and heavy rubber at the bottom for a firm grip. She squeezed her eyes at the longing thought, believing that they'd make it to her.

Her eyebrows raised, astonished at the familiar feeling of heavy rubber on her lap. Her eyes shot open and she grinned amazedly at the sight before, the recognizable leather and buckles weighing on her dress. She couldn't help a gasp, and a fit of happy giggles quickly followed. Peter Pan smiled at her, happy to see she could believe just as well as he could. She was one of the special ones.

"Does this work with everything? Can I do this anytime?" She asked, composing herself.

"Yes. Anytime you want, whenever you can find it in yourself to believe." He replied assuredly.

Her grin found its way back onto her face, her cheeks accented with a pink kind of grace. She really did love this new information.

"See? I told you that you could trust me. All you've ever had to do is believe." He said confidently.

She frowned. "Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

He smiled, attempting a shy grin, but it came off more smirk-ish. "Well I wasn't positive you'd be able to believe in me then. You were always trying to run away from me."

She didn't believe that for a second. It would have been easier to tell her this then than now. She soon realized she was over-staying. She wasn't sure what questions to ask him anymore, seeing as how he proved he wasn't going to answer them straightforwardly. "Speaking of running.." She muttered to herself, just low enough that she thought it would be impossible for him to catch. He did. She began to lace up her boots, putting the others to the side so that she could take them back to Baelfire.

"Going somewhere?" He inquired surreptitiously.

"Actually yes, I'm heading back to the caves." She replied hesitantly at his sudden change in attitude. "Why?"

"I'd be careful in those caves if I were you Terra."

"They're safer than out here." She argued.

She heard rustling and quickly looked behind her, but it was useless. It was just too dark. She did, however, see a nod from Peter Pan, and that was all she needed. He needed to have her back; he liked having her so close to him. He missed those nights where they curled up with each other, just them and the night. He missed her steady breathing next to him, her quiet sleep chatter. He missed having her all to himself, and he would have it again. He recalled her in her room, back with the boys, her nightmares and thoughts of him. He appreciated knowing that even without her knowing he was there, he was always on her mind. On a special few occasions, when he decided to be daring, he crawled in next to her. Even without her being awake, he knew she felt him, because every time he did creep into bed with her, her eyebrows furrowed, like she was scolding him for doing so. He would whisper something to her; usually he'd say something he knew she would somehow hear. Something she would remember, something along the lines of 'I'll have you back, Terra, and we can be together, me and you_, always_.'

But still, soon after he'd started to get comfortable, after she'd moved and relaxed with him, she'd suddenly realize where she was, her brain struggling to wrap around the fact that he was there. He would always hear her internal resistance, sometimes she'd even cry. It did hurt him to see her move away from him, to see her try so desperately to escape him.

He must've had some kind of look in his eyes for her to look so troubled. Instead of cowering away, for once, he looked right back at her, the pain and longing still in his eyes. She felt cold sweats and shivers down her spine, just from that one look. As much as she wanted to deny herself that look, to deny his authentic hurting, it was hard. She wanted to believe he was only lying, that somehow he'd managed to concoct such a look. Her face mirrored his hurt, especially when she felt two figures grasp her arms from behind. She felt betrayed, but she should have expected this. She tore her eyes away from his to look at her captors. Immediately, she began to scream and thrash about.

He flinched at her sudden rage, her sudden eagerness to escape. True, he was heartless, but seeing her so ardent to escape him, to leave him behind, made him hurt in ways he couldn't explain. He often left people, but the thought of her leaving him made him feel worse than he wanted to.

Her head flung back, smashing with one of the boys behind her, making him lose his grip on her arm. She heard him step back a few times, and that was all the time she needed. Ignoring the dizziness and pain in her own head, she hastily reached down for the sword tucked away in her belt with her free limb, only to find it gone. She'd forgotten she'd dropped it earlier while using it to threaten Pan. Why hadn't she thought to pick it up again? Feeling more hands coming at her, she elbowed the other form grasping her left arm in the ribs. He lost his grip enough for her to yank her arm free and thrash herself away from the arms reaching for her.

She lunged forward, falling to the ground and firmly clutching her sword. Elbowing and thrashing away from several new boys howling and calling out savagely, she made her way to her feet. She blindly thrust her sword places, swinging it about in the darkness. In the dim moonlight, she saw groups of boys stepping back from the forceful metal.

"You snake!" She called to the tallest figure in the back, assuming that it was Pan.

"Well that was hurtful." He said smugly, feeling proud of his brave girl for being able to fight off the boys despite her looks.

She dodged a blade coming at her side, moving to slash it away with her own. The two swords collided with a clang. In the moonlight, she slit skin at the side of her foe's upper arm. She wasn't quite sure how deep, but judging by the boy's yowl of pain and blood coated fingers, it must've been fairly deep. Noting the several new figures, she searched for an exit route. She quickly pushed the figures gauging at her arms, begging for a grip on the girl that was Pan's newest game. She sprinted into the trees, eyes wide open, hair flinging behind her in the wind. The crunches under her feet reassured her, egging her on and willing her to move faster. She barreled through the bushes, pushing stray branches out of the way and hoping they'd hit the boys not far behind her in the face.

When the feet tramping behind her lessened and grew fainter, she was reassured she could be free. She felt like she didn't have to be a captor of Peter Pan, she could make her own destiny. She believed she could live out her days in the cave, sure it was bad, but it was better than Peter Pan. That was when she felt it. The sudden and terrible jolt of pain to her upper shoulder.

The new boys were smarter; they weren't as humane. After all, one had just had the nerve to release an arrow through the air and into her shoulder.

She collapsed to the ground, her howls of pain piercing the foggy air. She wanted to continue to run, she was sure she could if this were an ordinary arrow. But something was terribly wrong with this arrow, something not quite right. They'd altered it somehow.

Boys crowded around her, high fiving each other and asking who shot the arrow, who had won the game. A few had the bravado to kick her, but shortly after hearing a yell from Peter Pan, she blacked out, the cold ground below her trying to push her to her feet again.

**Review? What'd you think? Questions, suggestions? I liked the Peter Pan bit, the part where he talked about going to see her when she was back in the Enchanted Forest. Sorry if he seemed a bit OOC, but I thought that was how he would be if he liked a girl. That arrow part hopefully gave you guys a glimpse of these new lost boys. They are ruthless and far less kind than the last ones. It isn't going to be all sunshine and rainbows with those lost boys. No more cute little boys, sorry:( I was unhappy too. I miss Curly already. Sorry if you found any typos, I don't have a beta, I never have, but if you're interested, let me know.**


	9. Chapter 9 And a Little Bit of Dreamshade

**Chapter 9: And a Little Bit of the Deadly Poison Dreamshade**

**A/N: _ So for a song, I really liked 'White Blank Page', by Mumford and Sons. You guys should totally check it out, it's the bomb and definitely relevant. If anything doesn't seem right, let me know. Also, your reviews are always welcomed and appreciated, you don't even know how happy I am to get them, so for all you reviewers out there, I love you guys. _**

Several times before passing out, the arm free from crushing weight of her body searched for the arrow around her backside, aching for it to be gone, and her hand ready to pull it out. Her limb bobbed around her back like a fish out of water, but immediately stilled at the feel of crisp wood. She wanted to pull it out, but the fear and the pain numbed her actions. She briefly wondered if it was sleeping powder they dipped the arrow in, but that wouldn't explain the pain spreading to all her appendages. It was then, after the useless attempts to remove the arrow, that she lost consciousness. The last thing she remembered was a cool breeze grazing her face from the ground, cut in places by the legs of lost boys and forcing her eyes shut. She wanted them to stay open, but the winds compelled them shut, coaxing her body to a deep sleep.

He didn't see it all, just the bit where she fell to the floor. He hadn't seen the arrow coming, but he did train the boys to be ruthless, loyal, so he should have seen it coming. He did not approve, true, but not quite in the way that he should have. He disapproved because he had intended to gracefully ensure her stay, not through the deadly poison dreamshade. He wanted her to stay because she loved him, because she loved the island, not because she would die if she didn't. But it was no matter, this would guarantee her stay. But that didn't mean he wasn't angry.

"Who's arrow?" He demanded with a snarl.

The lost boys were silenced; they carefully glanced around at each other, worrying about their own safeties. Peter was practically a fiend when he got like this. They all stepped back, the boy in the middle frozen with fright, his feet held in place by the cold ground who sought revenge for the girl lying unconscious. "Please, Peter." He choked hoarsely, meeting his leader's cold green eyes with his teary brown ones.

"Sorry laddie." He said tauntingly.

The other boys, unlike the last group, did not turn their heads. They didn't cower away from the horrendous act before them, in fact, some snickered mockingly. None were sad to see their lost friend go. The boy was no older than twelve, just looking to win Peter Pan's approval. But sadly, there was a downside to there being no rules in Neverland; nobody had the slightest clue what was safe and what wasn't. What would please the mind of Peter Pan, and what would enrage him.

A raucous and obnoxious crack, similar to the snapping of a tree branch, pierced every ear in range. The telltale thud of a numbed body followed and thickened the already tense atmosphere. The lost boys stood in place, praying that Peter Pan was satisfied with one death tonight.

"Felix." He called out to the sandy blonde emerging from behind and marching toward his leader. Needing no confirmation from his most trusted lost boy, he continued with his order, "Take care of our little friend here."

"The boy?" Felix asked, a little amused and satisfied by the two figures on the ground. He didn't particularly enjoy either of them.

Peter was less than entertained. "Yes the boy." He snapped impatiently, pausing for only a second before adding, "And take the others with you. This game is finished."

Felix insensitively threw the motionless boy over his shoulder and trekked away from the scene, others quickly following, tripping over each other in desperate attempts to leave the area before Peter decided to lash out again.

Peter sighed exasperatedly, going to kneel beside girl. Warily, he turned her on her side to inspect the wound and to eye the poison that was quickly spreading. Luckily, she was still salvageable. The poison traced thick black lines down her back, travelling up her veins, but it would be some time before it reached her heart. There was still time to place her back at camp and talk her into drinking the water. If he could talk her into it, it was almost like her choosing to stay, at least he could convince himself it was.

"Oh _Chimera, _just what have you gotten yourself into?" He mocked with a sigh.

He placed her fragile body in his arms, adjusting her limbs to ensure her unconsciousness for the trip, and disappeared into the dark forest. A frown found its way onto his face at the feeling of her cold skin on his. He recalled when she had been so warm, her body curled up and guarded protectively by his arms and the sun trickling into her hair. He hoped that they could be that way again, forgetting time and its meaningless presence in their lives, the world at their mercy, an undefeatable duo. He missed her playing games with him, lightheartedly throwing arms at him for an apple, hours of hide and chase. She could be a killer, he knew it, and he'd seen it. She kept telling him she wanted real affection, emotions she could sense and know were there, but he had other plans. She didn't need anyone to love her that way, not when the way he loved her now was more than enough. He loved her with a soul-crushing passion. He loved her so much it was edging insanity, and he would kill any man who got too close to her. He wished she would stop insisting he be raw with her and start seeing that he wouldn't. He had no use for such materialistic nonsense. All love is selfish; but his was obsessive.

Whenever he tried to imagine days without her, it just seemed impossible, and imagining her without him was equally complicated. He often tried to remember just how he lived without her; her smile and her ashy hair and her sarcastic wits. He wanted all of it, nobody else deserving of her perfect little giggle, her tears, or even her anger. He remembered her objections for his less than civilized acts against the Duke she almost cursed herself with, but letting the man live would've been an abomination. He'd first intended to let the man escape with a few scars and intolerable fear, but when he saw them together, the man clearly too old for her, he lost track of his intentions. She was not a bird, she had proven to him she would never be such a thing for him, yet still, he couldn't help his uncontrollable desires to lock her in a cage and keep her only for himself, hidden from the world. He could make her be a bird for him, his bird. She could get used to him again, and they could be together forever, just as soon as his eternal life was restored.

He felt her stir in his arms, her eyebrows furrowing as they usually did when she began recognizing him and his smell and the rough feel of his green tunic on her cheek. He would always leave her when she began noticing him, running from her arms knowing that she would never willingly accept him if she knew that he'd constantly watched her the way he did. He liked seeing her relax around him, yet her angelic face as she slept was always so clearly ruined by his presence. He was impatient, and it was especially true when he had to wait for what felt like eons for her to love him back again.

"What…" She slurred, grunting at the stabs of pain in her lower back. Her eyelids still heavy with exhaustion, she tried again. "What's happening to me?"

He stared down at her, his face unreadable. "You got hit with an arrow." He reminded her distantly, slightly pleased that she was yet to thrash around.

"I… Know." She tripped over her words, not fully comprehending much of what she was saying. "I mean…" She continued, but faded out in her confusion. The only thing positively clear to her was the sounds of her voice and the irrefutable pains in her body. His voice the only light left in her dark world, all the lights put out by the same ungodly creature guiding her. She knew it was wrong to let him lead her, but she didn't have much choice when she had lost the ability to lead herself. Still, she couldn't help the irrepressible urge to escape his hold, much to his dismay. She started to toss about in his arms, not sure of the reason, just feeling uncomfortable in them.

"I wouldn't move too much if I were you _chimera, _you might speed up that nasty poison in your system." He said with a taunting, yet gentle tone.

"What... _Poison_?" She murmured. "Is that why… I feel like…" She struggled for a word to describe it, she wanted to say 'like I've been to hell and back', but she had been. Neverland was her hell. She had been to hell, home and back again. But what she was feeling now was far worse.

"Yes, call it a common custom of Neverland to ensure victory; we lace our weapons in a deadly poison only found on the island." He said with a smirk. "But don't fret, I've got a cure for you." He added with a tender kiss to her forehead.

"Am I going to die?" She choked out, grasping her tears firmly, not having the strength to brush away his pretentious kisses.

"Of course not, I'd never allow that." He snorted.

"Why not?" She asked childishly.

The question irritated him. He tried so hard to understand her logic, why she could not, would not find it in her to trust him again. True he'd told small lies here and there, but so had she. She'd pretended just as often as he had, yet he still came back to fetch her repeatedly and to save her from a life of misery. Against all odds, he always found his way back to get her. But still, he was a bit pleased at her sudden interest. She wouldn't be asking if she wasn't beginning to understand, if only a little. His grip on her intensified slightly, his breathing thicker than before.

"Because you're mine, and I won't ever let you leave me, not even in death." He said with a growl. And it was true, simple as the day and the night. She was his, and nothing would ever change that. She was one of the few things that would stay, not just because she had no choice, but because she wanted to. He remembered all the other girls he'd brought back, how quickly they wanted to leave. Always, he'd given them a choice, and always, they chose against him. But she wouldn't. No, she'd love him and belong to him and never escape him and he wouldn't even have to lock her up.

But in her delirious stupor, she said the thing he'd been waiting to hear, since the day he first spoke to her on the street. He saw the realization dawning on her face. This was surely the moment when she was beginning to comprehend that no matter how hard she tried, she would always be a captive, a possession to Peter Pan. Her cheeks sunk ever so slightly, her body losing the will to fight against him. Her eyes reddened from pain and bloodshot from exhaustion, she whispered the word he'd constantly whispered to her, the only one fit for him.

"_Always._"

And then she was pulled back under and into a deep sleep, away from the world in the arms of Peter Pan, the boy she could never escape, no matter how hard she fought.

_***XXX***_

_Nightmares._

That was an awful side effect to dreamshade. The deadly poison made it so that even in your dreams, you were trapped in suffering. All sorts of people haunted the dreams of Terra Diggs.

_She ran to him, her arms shaky and her lips quivering. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me. But you're going to be okay, I promise."_

_His limbs were unresponsive, his body stale and the stench repulsive. She thought for sure he was gone, his gems and expensive robes drenched in his blood. She knelt over him, trying to get a heartbeat. Just when she had given up, her tears streaming down his face, his eyes were opened, though they were anything but welcoming. The irises were no longer a light shade of blue; they looked to be eaten by the blackness of the pupils, surrounded by a sea of blood red. She flinched._

_"You did this." The Duke's voice said, slightly demented and a lacking any kind of emotion other than resentment._

_"No no, I'm sorry!" She yelled frantically, the areas surround her fading to black, his body pushing away from her at rapid speed until he was out of sight. She laid there, surrounded by the murky atmosphere. She saw nothing, and she only felt and knew her grief._

_"You've done enough. It's your fault he's going to kill us all now." Slightly said from behind her._

_"You said you'd save us." Curly whimpered._

_"Now look at the mess you've made." Nibs added in a dark voice._

_"No, I can fix this." She said firmly._

_"But Terra, you can't even fix yourself." Jack sounded from behind._

_And in a moment of horror, she looked down to see her own blood, oozing from the hole in her chest and the arrows in her limbs._

She had slept for what felt like eternities. That was only one of them, and not nearly the worst one. She couldn't remember all of them, but she did know that she couldn't wake up for the longest time, the poison spreading everywhere.

Strangely, the darkness was comforting. In the dark, she could pretend it was only her and her tears. No taunting words or Peter Pan, no more fighting for survival, just Terra Diggs and her loneliness. But still, somewhere in that dark cave of her being, she longed for the youth and persuasive words of Peter Pan.

She awoke softly, unlike the other times at home where she'd bolted upright. Her eyes breezed open, her lashes fluttering slightly at the pain. She groaned at the familiar feel of bedding under her, but knowing that it was not her home, she had lost faith that she could ever truly be home again. She knew Pan was there, somewhere in the bleak night and dimly lit room. She wondered how it managed to stay dark, why day had not come yet. She guessed that no matter how long it felt like her night terrors lasted, she could not have been asleep for more than an hour. But there were worse thoughts to consume her fresh mind, like if Baelfire had gone looking for her.

He wouldn't, she concluded, knowing that he was just as careful as she was, maybe more. They were friends, yes, but in Neverland it was hard to have friends and still survive, even more-so than before. Baelfire was a scared boy, one that was used to being alone. He wouldn't look for her, not when he knew she could fend for herself. She wished she could be defending herself right now, she thought, her heart sinking at the thought of herself in Peter Pan's arms, his protection her only salvation.

He saw the thoughts sputter across her face. Her pale, sweat coated face. He smirked, already having some idea of what these thoughts were. Slowly, he approached her, a march in triumph for finally having his private lover back where she belonged.

"Sleep well?" He said smugly.  
She stared warily at him, her eyes flickering to the object in his hand. "What is that?" She inquired guardedly, her arms unconsciously rising to her chest.

"Call it a gift." He proclaimed proudly.

"Beware of Greeks bearing gifts." She remarked.

He shrugged, moving to put the small ceramic jug down. She watched him closely, making sure he really meant no harm. He met and stared back into her deep blue eyes as he made his way to the foot of her bed, and much to her dismay, took a seat. Suddenly feeling naked without her large green sweater, she moved to cover herself up. Such a flimsy white under-dress was not appropriate while in such a close perimeter of anyone, especially not Peter Pan.

"Aw well there's no need to be shy now Terra." He said, his trademark smirk glorifying in her humiliation.

"Oh I'm not shy," she began, attempting nonchalance, "I just don't want you to get used to it."

"Suit yourself." He responded, not shaken by her attempt to rattle him.

"My boots?" She asked, moving to leave.

"Making a run for it again _Chimera? _I would think you'd have learned your lesson."

"So I got hit. Can't win them all." She grumbled, her feet making contact with the cold floor.

"You seem well, I mean, considering the poison and all." He taunted.

She paused a second, thinking of a snarky comeback. She hadn't thought of the poison. He did say he wouldn't let her die, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to be saved either. At least, not by him.

"And whose fault is that?" She snorted.

"What, you think I did this?" He smirked.

"As you've told me before, they're your boys."

"If I were you Terra, I'd sit back down." He said in a low voice, quickly changing from teasing to warning.

"If you were me I wouldn't have gotten hit." She commented snidely.

It was quiet for a moment, both of them too prideful to speak first, contemplating each other's words and carefully picking their next ones.

"How were the nightmares, Terra? Pretty gruesome I'd imagine." He started in a velvety tone. She froze, her eyes narrowing and her arms aching. She damned herself when she forgot that he always knew. He took her silence as an opportunity, speaking up and moving to sit next to her. "See that's the poison moving to your head, and if it's already gotten to your head, it won't be long until it's stopping your heart." He mocked softly, his finger grazing the area on her chest where her heart was under her flesh.

She swallowed hard, her eyes blaring with tears. She couldn't pretend around him anymore, it was just too hard. Her mind was already getting lost in the dreary despair of the dreamshade, she felt herself letting go of humanity. "Why are you telling me this? To mock me?" She spoke thickly.

"Mock you? No Terra, not to mock you. To cure you. That's what the gift is, I brought you a cure." And the hollow affection returned. He was hiding something.

"What's the catch? What do you want in return?" She asked distrustfully, her eyes reading his like a foreign book, desperately trying to understand his words.

"Tell you what _chimera, _because you're so special to me, you can have it, free of charge." He said in a silky, devilish voice.

His tone gave her chills. Something felt… Terribly wrong. Peter Pan was giving her life, free of charge. It felt like the world had somehow flip-flopped in the time she'd been unconscious.

"I don't-" She began, only to be interrupted by a rude, unspeakable image in her brain. She nearly fell forward, the grisly sight of blood and loss overthrowing her brain and numbing her abilities to sit up correctly. She gasped, her hand flying up to her mouth in horror. She looked over to him, a tear spilling from her deep ocean eyes, looking to him of all people for comfort. She wished she could play it off, but it was far too late for that. "What is this?" She asked, aghast and sickened by the hallucinations.

"I told you, Terra, it's the poison going to your head, and judging by the look on your face, I'd say you haven't got much time." He said darkly.

She gulped, her eyes not leaving his. She had never been so scared in her whole life. Death was threatening, yes, but that was not what terrified her. What terrified her was the thought of never reaching home, her boys and Killian and Tootles never hearing from her again. What was more terrifying than death was not having a life, not leaving a mark on the world. What had Terra Diggs contributed to the world? Nothing, she'd accomplished nothing.

But a new thought was overcoming her senses, a far more appalling one.

_She never would_.

Even if she lived, she'd spend her days here, in the cursed terrain of Neverland, at the mercy of Peter Pan. Home was a far off dream now, no matter what she did.

"I don't want it." She confirmed out loud.

He scoffed. "What?"

"I said I don't want it." She snapped.

He moved from his spot next to her and onto his feet, pacing the floor with a smirk. "Someone's got quite the little death wish."

"No, Peter Pan, I've got quite the freedom wish."

"You're cheating." He growled.

"I've no idea what you mean." She said innocently.

"Cheaters never win, Terra."

"Well good because I'm not cheating." She barked.

"You're trying to leave the island, to escape the game." He taunted.

"Ooo, caught me red-handed." She replied, equally mocking.

"Oh come on now _chimera_, just where did your sense of adventure go?"

"Must've gotten lost in the poison."

They glared at each other for what felt like decades, their stubbornness knowing no sense of time. She, unwilling to cave to his desires, and him, refusing her ploys to escape. His burning green eyes tore her apart, ripping down the pretenses and letting her know that he could read her like the very book she was. He knew everything, he knew that even though she denied it, somewhere inside, she was a lost girl, still looking for a place to belong, even though she'd had many. Nothing would ever be good enough for her, and he was convinced him and his fantastical island could be.

"But I told you, Terra, you can never escape me." He said, his hands closing around the small ceramic jug and lifting it into the air. Sensing his plan, she scrambled back into the wall and away from him.  
"No, Peter, I told you I don't want it." She said frantically.

He inched closer, kneeling on the bed and in front of her. He put a finger to her lips and gazed into her eyes, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. It quickly faded when she stopped moving, her back against the wall and her hands searching for something to grasp, to protect herself with.

"I really don't care." he said. Her eyes widened with fear and her breathing accelerated, her eyebrows knitting in panic.  
She watched him pull the edge to his lips and fill his mouth with the cure. She thought that she was safe, that maybe he was just messing with her, but when instead of swallowing he met her eyes, her fears were reignited. "P-plea-" She was cut off by his mouth on hers, his lips forcing hers apart and pouring the cool water in her mouth. She tried to protest, her arms shooting up to punch at him and her body trying to pull away. It was all in vain.

"He coaxed her mouth into swallowing the liquid, stray water droplets edging out of the corners of her mouth from the battle of lips they had just gone through. They mingled with her fresh tears.

"There now, that wasn't so bad was it?" He said mockingly, but when instead of answering she cowered away, he smirked bigger.  
"Shhh, don't be afraid," he started, brushing away tears. "Be flattered."

* * *

**_A/N: Hey fellas, so how did I do? I've had some really bad writer's block lately, so this was the best I could do! I'm still not 100% satisfied, but I figured I made you guys wait long enough. When I first uploaded this chapter, some cooky stuff went on (parts missing, random computer jibber jabber) so if you see anything that doesn't make sense, please tell me so I can fix it. I had originally intended to make the Pan/Terra cure scene much cuter and fluffier, like the Klaroline scene from TVD, but I had an epiphany sometime last night. I don't think Terra would've taken that cure, I probably wouldn't have either. But I also don't think Pan would've just let her die, so that's how it turned out. I hope Peter wasn't too OOC, sorry about the love-y love stuff, but you know. So my next thought is, when is he going to tell her she can't ever leave now? Will Terra just give into him now? And what about Baelfire? Just some things to think about. Let me know if you have any suggestions of anything, I am always open to new ideas. Oh, speaking of which, I have decided to put Henry and them in here, so they should be coming along within the next two or three chapters. In case you didn't notice, these last two chapters' titles sort of connected with each other, "Faith, Trust", and this one being titled, "And a little bit of the deadly poison dreamshade." _**


	10. Chapter 10: What Do I Owe?

**_A/N: Good news! I'm not dead. And I'd like to continue living, so if any of you have sharpened pitch forks… Okay, so things have been crazy, conventions and vacations and what not. Unfortunately, my writer's block is still pretty bad. I've been editing this chapter for 3 days and it still doesn't please me as much as I want. So the part in the middle with Pan I got from a post off of Tumblr, I'm a bit hazy on the name right now but if you would really like to know I can find out for you. Thank you all for the reviews, the follows, I'll try to keep up with you from now on! . I'm sorry if I am a terrible person to you guys! I hope you like it, if there's anything you think went too fast, seemed boring, anything, let me know because I am at a loss for these things at the moment. It's shorter than I wanted, but the next part with Baelfire and Terra is gonna be pretty intense, and I think most of you can guess why. I haven't forgotten about the deals from Not a Lost Girl, so for those of you wondering what happened to those, I just have not yet found a good moment to mention them._**

**_Thank you lovely, kind readers for everything!_**

**_Chapter 10: What Do I Owe?_**

Silence can be described as many things. People describe the uncomfortable kind of silence as deafening, awkward or loud. But there are few ways to describe pleasant silence and even fewer to describe the unnoticeable kind. Terra Diggs never considered herself to be a poet for these kinds of things. True, she'd read many books that were enchanting, but was always at a loss for writing her own. The only way she could find to describe her current period of silence was imperceptible, probably due to the cantankerous thoughts knocking in her brain. Internally, she was fighting a war, and it was far louder than any silence could ever be.

Peter Pan could see the battlefield through her deep blue irises, though they revealed nothing of the subject or what two forces were combating. He chose to describe the silence more elegantly, being the one better with words and all. His choice of wording was silent progress, the kind that would bring them closer. Perhaps he did have some ideas as to what kind of war was raging. But despite the struggles and the anger boiling in her, he knew in his bones that she would come around. He just hoped she could get over the price that came with this magic.

"My father was an awful man." She spoke robotically, her eyes finally lifting to his and interrupting his thoughts. His eyebrows raised questioningly, a hint of a smirk beginning to play on his features, but as she usually did when she sensed a teasing line or pretentious affection, she hastily continued. She was in no mood for games. "He was terrible. He pulled me away from my home, and never spoke of my mother, not even when I asked. He barely spoke words to me, and usually I had to force him. I always thought, 'what an awful father he is', but still, I fought to the death for him. I was constantly begging for his approval, his attentions, even when I thought I wasn't, I was."

He nodded silently, probing her words and egging her to continue with his eyes. He always did love a story, and he hadn't heard this one before. Well, at least not quite like this.

"But one night, I ran away. I just took off as my feet could take me, and I left him behind." She said with a shrug, her eyes refocusing on the window and the green of the trees. She already hated telling this story, and this was only the first time she'd told it. She wasn't keen on going into a depth of her feelings, especially not with Pan.

"But somewhere," she began with a sigh, "down my path of freedom, I realized something." She scoffed a laugh, as if mocking herself. She looked down and shook her head with a large, bitter-sweet smile. She hated this part most of all, hated that she wasn't a normal kid that could worry about normal things and have a normal dad who took her out to buy sweets or even took her out at all.  
"I'd forgotten to tell him I'm leaving." She said with a chuckle, but quickly composed herself when she realized how this part may be confusing, especially to a boy like Peter Pan. "And the thought may seem stupid to a normal kid running far away to never return, but I knew he might not even know I'd been gone until several weeks later, or when he needed me to fetch him a tool or buy groceries or make a dinner or god knows what. So, I trekked my way back home with my aching feet to tell him I was leaving and I would never return."

"You're quite the vengeful little thing, aren't you?" He mused.

Disregarding his comment and shooting him a look, she spoke the next part. "I got inside and was thoroughly considering waiting until tomorrow, and then I climbed up the stairs to where I knew he'd be, in his workshop at the top floor. But I didn't see him there. He wasn't there. So I called for him, once, twice, as many times as I thought necessary for him to hear. Him not answering wasn't completely out of the ordinary, sometimes when he got really wrapped up in a project or a book or something he wouldn't. It was then that I decided my feet couldn't handle any more walking, and the exhaustion started hitting me hard, so I just went to my room." She swallowed thickly, the memory still quite vivid. She remembered walking down the narrow hall, peeling off her scarf and her boots and her socks. It smelled the same as it always did back then, like damp wood, hints of lavender from the flowers she would make an effort to place around. She swallowed back the tears that threatened to spill and forced herself to continue. This was the only way to tell him without sounding too easy.

"But when I got to my room… He was there. But the setting was just… It was all wrong, and the panic frozen on his face and the cold, pale hue of his skin, I will never forget. That was the last time I ever saw my father." She finished, her voice steadying. Finally, her deep blue ocean waves tore away from the window and focused on his dark green forest eyes, the two of them creating their own kind of mystical island.

"I never really understood what my father did for me, not until he was gone and I had to do it myself. I like to believe that my father was very much like me, he didn't want to work, he never did, but he did it anyway, because we had to pay for our house somehow. He hated sitting up in that tiny room reading just as much as I did. But we had to buy food somehow. He hated that town just as much as me. And something tells me it hurt him more to leave my mother than it did me. He didn't like trying time after time to get something to work, and I doubt he liked selling his ideas once he couldn't try any longer. But he had to buy the dresses that I cast aside and the hair ribbons I tossed out in a blind rage and the blankets that kept me warm at night and the damn flowers I brought every single day because I wanted the house to feel like a home. Because I wanted to pretend my mother put them there. But I was so focused on what I wanted, I forgot to think of what he did."

She sucked in a deep breath, only to sigh it out again once he opened his mouth.

"But Terra, that's what children are supposed to do. They take and don't ask questions. But you don't ever have to feel guilty about doing that here, you can take all you want, have anything your little heart desires." He said, a kind of edge to his words that she paid no mind to.

"That's not the point. Don't change the subject." She spoke irritably, her voice quickly changing from bitter-sweet to intense and angry.

"I'm telling you this because, just this once, I will let go what you just did because I am choosing to believe that what you've just done was not for you, but for me. Perhaps I was not in my right mind for a moment there, and I have the dreamshade to thank for that I guess." She paused, her voice breaking. Her eyes hardened like concrete thinking of what he'd said to her, what he'd done to her. "And I won't try to kill you, and I won't hold a grudge for _this_, but I need you to never speak of it again or I just might. I will let this go and believe that you saved me to give me hope, not to keep me to yourself. But I will not thank you, because you deliberated ignored me for what feels like the thousandth time. And if there's one thing I hate, it's being ignored, disrespected and looked down on. But I suppose what I'm getting at, is while I don't appreciate what you've done at the moment, I may when I make it home and feel safe again."

"I thought you might see it my way." He said with a pretentious smile that made her question everything she'd just said.

If there was one thing that Terra Diggs had taken from her time on the wretched island, it was when to know and when to catch Peter Pan in a lie. When to go along with his game, and when to strike back. Something about the way he spoke his words made her anxious, but perhaps she should not ruin the moment just yet, especially not when buttering him up seemed like a good technique for survival.

"Well, I suppose I-"she started pleasantly, but was cut off a shrill of her name.

Immediately, she hung her head down. She had originally planned to stay an hour or two, hoping fulfill her debt to Pan by spending time at his camp, but that voice sounded like another debt to be paid.

"Sounds like little Baelfire finally found his way to our camp. Let's not miss out on all the action." He said, quickly planting a kiss to her head and heading for the door.

It took her a moment to come out of her stupor, a shade of pink sticking onto her cheeks but played off by an annoyed eye roll. She was caught off guard when his voice returned in a shout, "Oh, and don't forget your clothing!"

Coming to her feet and feeling quite flustered, she frantically shot her head around for her shoes. When she caught sight of them thrown against the wall, she quickly made for the door and followed him down the ladder, throwing on her blood stained green sweater on the way out. She just needed to explain to the familiar figure below that what he'd said was not what it sounded like.

She rolled her eyes when she heard Pan's voice boom loud and smug, just like it always did when things went his way.

"Ah, well if it isn't our little friend Baelfire. To what do we owe the pleasure?"

The angry boy glanced around, catching several pairs of eyes glancing up the girl's dress as she climbed down. Terra, for one, didn't care too much. It usually happened, especially last time she was here, but she could fight them off, after all, they were only boys. And besides, the leather pants she used to wear were far more revealing than her puffy underwear.

_They're the same boys who shot you with an arrow._

Her thoughts commented darkly.

"Let her go." The boy spat grimly.

Pan glanced back at Felix, exchanging smirks amongst each other. Terra had a theory that most of Pan's teasing remarks secretly came from him.

"I don't think you've heard yet, Baelfire, but Terra isn't our prisoner, she's our… Friend." He said tauntingly, earning a loud and frankly outraged chortle from the girl in question. A soft thump came from behind as her feet came in contact with the ground, her usual jump from the last four steps.

"_Not _your prisoner, you say? I'm sorry, I think your lost boys are a little confused then." She commented bitterly.

He gave her a shady smile before continuing with his triumphant rant. "Confused? Never. They just enjoy a good game, they enjoy winning, just like how I want them to be."

He strutted leniently around the area, enjoying every last bit of the drama unfolding. Terra, for one, was not as patient, and spoke urgently as a means to speed up the process. She already knew he was going to let them both go. What would he gain from keeping them?

"Listen Pan," She started, moving to where he was, "I just need one last favor from you." She said sweetly.

"Yeah that's how it starts!" A lost boy shouted, other following in sounds of agreement.

They stopped the moment their leader raised a hand, like a teacher in a classroom of little kids.

"Let me guess." He started, staring at her with glinting eyes, "You want me to let him go."

Terra straightened her posture, the attention she was receiving suddenly making her feel isolated and small. "That's right." She responded firmly.

He chuckled darkly, moving to parade around the proximity again. "How… Predictable." He said tauntingly. "Always coming to the aid of the less fortunate. And you tried to convince me you'd changed."

"Well Peter,' she started, grinning arrogantly as she glanced around at the lost boys, 'I am _eighteen, _and considered an _adult._" She rather enjoyed their faces, their mouths all dropped like dead fish.

"An adult?"

"Peter brought an adult here?"

"He never told us she was a grown up."

They whispered amongst each other, hushed though still within reach of their leader's ears because they were too frightened to ask him head on, but they still wanted to voice their questions.

Peter raised his hand, sending out cold glares to the voices and effectively stopping a fuming Felix striding towards the scene.

"Do you really believe you're an adult, Terra? You still look young to me, especially with that attire." He taunted.

"Well," she scoffed, "What do you expect? There's not exactly a shop for that kind of thing here."

"I think you and I both know that you don't have to wear that." He mocked.

"I..What?" She barked.

"Where'd you get those boots, Terra? They seem quite easy to move in." He started smugly.

She flinched, realizing just what he was getting at. She hated it when he did this publicly. "I… What does this have to do with my attire?" She muttered irritably.

He narrowed his eyes at her, his attitude quickly switching and sending chills down her spine. He began a quick-paced, looming stalk to her position and her arms instinctively rose and her feet unconsciously stepped back several feet. When he had her cornered, he began to speak in a husky voice.

"That outfit makes me want to pull you back up that ladder and take you."

Her eyes amplified quite noticeably, her brows knitting together and her mouth popping open in outrage. In an instant, her alarm was transformed into white rage, her eyes dropping into hard slits and glaring at him.

"What?" she said sinisterly.

A large, self-satisfied smirk touched his eyes. "I said," he began, purposely raising his voice so that the small crowd before them could hear, "'that outfit makes me want to pull you back up that ladder and take you, right here and right now.'"

Several little boys snickered and she felt her cheeks heat up. She didn't have the courage to look poor Baelfire in the eye, and she didn't think she ever could again.

"It seems like no matter what I wear that's what you're thinking, Pan." She growled cynically, though clear frustration laced all her words. She hoped she was more threatening than she felt.

"But I would think you're quite used to men thinking lusty thoughts about you, aren't you? Especially after all those nights in the taverns." He said derisively.

She swallowed thickly, nervously. She'd forgotten he knew that. She so often neglected to remember such important details. She paused briefly to wonder if he was there for those nights, or if he'd only been informed of them. Deep inside she hoped that he wasn't there, she hoped that nobody was there for those unfortunate and desperate days where she coddled grown men for free drinks, for clothes for stupid knick knacks she found useful at the time. She remembered the worse days where they'd offer money, and regrettably, she'd take it. Prices went up, judging stares on the street got worse, the usual stories. In the stories, children living on their own are softened, when the reality is quite harsh. Living isn't free, no matter what your age, especially not under the reign of the Evil Queen.

She must've stayed silent for too long, because he continued his victory speech before she had a chance to plead her case.

"You like having me fawn over you, don't you Terra? You enjoyed my attentions so much that you would prance around in your undergarments to keep them. Well that's quite desperate if you ask me." He taunted, gesturing to her and exchanging glances with the lost boys.

She breathed long, hard breaths, attempting to compose herself knowing that if she attacked him now she'd be shot at again by one of them.

"Well if I had the-" She started heatedly, only to be rudely interrupted by the conductor of the show. He always liked a good game, and he was still enjoying the win.

"Please Terra, if you wanted me that badly all you had to do is ask."

Forgetting herself with her anger overcoming her all at once, she snarled and roughly pushed him with all her strength. He fumbled back, but still continued his laughing with the boys around all the more.

"Perhaps I would have changed if your _little monsters _hadn't so rudely shot an arrow into my back!" She shouted irately.

The lost boys roared with laughter at the nickname. Peter encouraged it, the deep red of her cheeks motivating him to continue.

"But Terra, didn't you have time just now?" He shouted sardonically.

"And what? Leave you with Baelfire?" She spat sarcastically, "Well sorry that he comes before proper attire does, and if we're talking about proper dressing, then you could learn a thing or two yourself."

The boisterous laughing ceased. Pan's face went shady, a dangerous atmosphere replacing the playful one just seconds earlier.

_Oh here we go again. _She thought, internally rolling her eyes. She was no longer afraid of this kind of thing, especially not when he'd made it very clear she wouldn't die.

"If I didn't know better, Terra, I'd think you two have gotten a little closer than I'd like you to." He spoke darkly.

"Well good thing you know better then." She chimed sarcastically.

"You know, I don't think I like you two living together in those caves." He continued, his eyes hooded as they glared into hers. A new battle was quickly replacing the old, and this time, she'd be the winner.

"I don't care what you think."

"Really? Then how come your cheeks got so red earlier?" He mocked.

"I'm not staying here." She said bluntly, skipping the meaningless banter.

"Oh that's fine." He said simply.

She cocked an eyebrow.

"I'll just keep our little friend Baelfire here for safe keeping then." He said tauntingly.

"Like hell you will." She growled. "We're leaving. _Now." _

"Are you sure you want to do that?" He said with a smirk, "Because my lost boys are still up for a good fight. Aren't you boys?" Loud hollers of excitement piled in the air shortly after he'd asked, not that she was surprised.

"You know what? I don't owe you shit." She said spitefully. "If anything, you owe me. You forced me to do something I told you I didn't want, and I told you I would let it go."

"Doesn't sound like you're 'letting go' to me _chimera._" He said condescendingly.

"I will, once you let us go." She replied plainly.

He watched her every move through an intense stare, and though it was sharp and cutting, she did not falter. She owed herself a win today. Dangerous sparks flew between them, a war being fought through their body language. He surprised everyone, including her, when he averted his eyes and breathed a laugh.

"You're quite obstinate." He said playfully.

She held her head high, feeling a sense of satisfaction and pride at what seemed to be his surrender.

"Game well played then?" She suggested.

"I'd expect nothing less from you." He replied, confirming that he was indeed giving her the win. But not with completely pure intentions. After all, it wouldn't be long until a new game started.

"We'll take our leave then." She commented cautiously, eyeing the boys still gripping a stunned Baelfire. All it took was a nod from Peter and their hands released him, though Baelfire stayed on his knees hesitantly until they were several paces away.

Urgently, Terra clutched his arm and clumsily yanked him to his feet.

"Let's get out of here." She said under her breath, just loud enough so he could hear. She pulled him off past the boys, swiftly approaching the trees to get out of the clearing when, just as she thought he might, Peter stopped her with his voice.

"Oh, and Terra?" He called.  
"What?" She snarled.

"Why don't you swing by tonight, come join our little party?" He recommended smugly, though she knew it was more of a demand than a question. She assumed it was her paying off whatever debts she still owed. She'd confused herself and lost track.

She groaned and reluctantly replied, rather sarcastically, "Sure, why not?"

"And Terra?" He said once more.

"Will you stop it already?" She hissed.

"Don't do anything that I wouldn't do." He threatened, his voice threaded with malice.

She froze a half of a second before carefully answering, "Of course."

And they retreated into the forest, her hand still firmly on his arm as she practically sprinted out of the area. Only her first week back in Neverland and she'd already almost died. How many more times would she face death until home was even attainable?

**_A/N: What'd you think? Good, bad? Let me know, I'll try to be persistent with responses to your reviews from now on! . I kind of really wanted to get something out to you guys since last chapter had such a cliff hanger!  
It took me a long time to determine what Terra's reaction would be, and I figured this was good. She's mad, she's not whatever about it, she just doesn't know the price yet so she's assuming he did it because he actually wants her to live…. Poor Terra :( She just can't catch a break. _**

**_Quick note, Terra didn't sleep with men, she wasn't a prostitute, but she did get close sometimes. She wanted to keep her big house and she had to buy food and it was really hard and often it stressed her out and she's still embarrassed about it, which is why when Pan brings it up like an asshole, she lashes out. I felt like that response was appropriate._**

**_(Terra was awful sassy this chapter. I loved her responses! I was giggling in my head somewhere, she is so fun to write sometimes. )_**

**_Any suggestions, notes, comments, corrections, or just random fangirling or whatever I am always open :)_**


	11. Chapter 11: Second Star to the Right

**_AN: Hey guys, I'm trying my best to be quicker! Still, eight days isn't exactly great. I could do better. Expect an update soon! My writers block is passing, but I'm still experiencing some rough patches. This chapter is a little short, I apologize, but I need somewhere to go with the next one so I split it up. I'm trying out new imagery ideas, I don't know if they're too clichéd, but I'm trying! This chapter is really a Terra/Baelfire bonding chapter, and it was kind of fun to write. Anyway, I hope you guys like it! Thank you so much for keeping up!_**

**_Chapter 11: Second Star to the Right_**

Daylight was finally within reach after the long, agony the darkness had brought. A silvery twilight peaked from the edge of the horizon and lit the trees giving them a soft, white glow illusion. It wouldn't be long until the sun was out, and that was the most comforting thought they'd had all day. The breeze was warm, hot even, and it carried the smell of the deep forest with it. The area was mostly quiet, other than the songs of the birds and the pants and soft trudges of the two, exhausted figures.

Terra remembered the birds. She remembered the day she woke up, confused as ever, still very much in Neverland. But these birds were different. They weren't waking her up to a harsh reality, they were putting her back to sleep. They were coaxing her back down to the ground, away from the air where the constant fear of falling was.

Something about the feel of the soft, warm breezes, the songs of the birds, the breath going in and out of her lungs and the whispers shared amongst the trees made her believe that she was safe now. She closed her eyes, letting herself bask in the blessings that morning had to offer.

"What was all that back there?" Baelfire spoke in a frenzied voice, removing his arm from her grip.

This wasn't the first time he'd attempted to speak, only the first time she'd noticed. He'd tired calling her name several times, but she was just so intent on getting as far away as possible that she'd neglected to respond. He stopped trying after a little while when he became away from the shaking in her arms through the grip on his arm. But he decided that now was as good a time as any since she appeared to have calmed down. And besides, he had important things to discuss.

"I got hit with an arrow, by one of the lost boys. " She said, a hard edge to her voice that could only be taken as anger. She had made it quite clear that she hadn't 'let it go' quite yet.

"So, what? He patched you up?" He asked suspiciously. For a girl who'd been shot with an arrow, she seemed perfectly fine.

"Sort of. I was dying. I don't know if you know this, since you spent so much time in those caves, but the lost boys coat their arrows in poison, so when I got hit, the poison started spreading to my heart." She said a little hesitantly, sensing the distrusting tone in his voice.

"If he saved you then why are you so angry with him?" He inquired.

"Well, see this is the tricky part. He brought saved me, but I told him I didn't want to be saved. I'm angry because he disregarded what I asked." She said, growing a little irritated at his sudden guarded attitude.

He scoffed. "You're mad because he didn't do what you said? You're mad because he didn't let you die?"

She hesitated, taking a moment to fully understand just what he was asking.

"I… Well yeah." She stuttered confusedly.

"I don't believe this." He began, pinching the bridge of his nose in distress and annoyance, "Don't you think that's stupid? He saved your life. Do you know how often Pan does that for someone? More importantly, do you know how often he disregards what people tell him to do? I have seen him kill people who told him what to do, and you're mad because he let you live?"

She swallowed nervously, this unexpected confrontation making her feel vulnerable and silly.

"Don't you think this is all a little stupid? Don't you think it's dramatic of you to hate him for saving you when he kills for the fun of it?" He questioned, his voice growing louder as the realizations dug deeper.

"I don't want to be here anymore!" She yelled in frustration, making him flinch with surprise. She breathed heavily, glaring at him hard. "I am mad because I don't want to be here anymore and he made me stay. I'm mad because I know exactly what kind of person he is but I still find myself forgetting all the time. I know he kills for fun which is why I can't stay here because if I do I'll never forgive myself for these feelings that I have. And I should _hate_ him, god how I should hate him. Being mad about this gives me an excuse to not talk to him, and him a reason to leave me alone."

They stared at each other, her face twisted in frustration and his open with shock. Girls often fell hard for Peter, that he knew. He'd seen them come and go, and he remembered a lovely fair-haired girl who became infatuated with him once, but none like this. Eventually, the spells wore off, and they saw him for the man he really was. That was when they'd leave the island, leave Peter Pan and his lost boys behind because god knows there are better boys out there. But Terra Diggs was a weird case. She knew him, knew he killed, knew exactly who he was and yet, she still felt for him.

Her eyes widened, as if awakening from a dream. She tore her gaze away and groaned exasperatedly.

"What?" He asked, a little scared that a lost boy had caught up to them.

"He probably heard all of that." She said bitter-sweetly.

"He…What?" He said.

"Nevermind. Let's get back to the caves, where he can't hear us." She concluded with a sigh.

And those were the last words they exchanged until the caves. But just like she'd predicted, a smug figure had heard the whole conversation and was feeling quite contented with the exchange.

_**Second Star to the Right**_

The sun was past the horizon when they reached the caves, though still hidden by grey clouds. Neverland was usually cloudy, but it was unlikely to see rain. The scene was peaceful with no lost boys in sight and the distant sound of a waterfall. She paused for a moment to look around before following him into the caves.

If you had nothing to hide, the caves were a welcoming place. It was the only place safe from the terrors that Neverland had to offer. The caves were sanctuaries, and for a small price you could stay forever if you desired to do so, just as long as you stay peaceful with the spirits that inhabited it.

"There's something important I need to tell you." Baelfire said almost immediately after stepping foot into the darkness. "Come with me."

He abruptly took hold of her arm and led her into their space, away from the broadness and into their small area. It wasn't exactly home, but it was better than being with Pan.

While he searched for whatever it was he was searching for, she drifted around the small area. She started taking notice of the things she hadn't before, like the markings all over the walls and the constellations sketched into the ceilings.

When she heard his footsteps approaching, she turned to meet him. The odd object in his hands seemed familiar, though it was challenging to place just where she'd seen it.

"Do you remember when I showed you this?" He asked urgently, holding up the coconut shell so it was easier to see.

"I think so. The shadow trap, right?" She replied.

"Yeah, the shadow trap. It's ready." He said eagerly.

"Ready? I don't see much of a difference from last time you showed me it." She said doubtfully.

"Don't you see the star holes? The constellations? It's a map. A map to home. When we capture the shadow, we have to tell it where to go, and I've spent a long time mapping out these stars so we can do just that." He said readily, waving the object in the air to prove his statements.

"We?" She said smiling.

"Yes, we. What, you think I'd leave you here?" He said playfully.

"Well… I had my doubts considering what happened and everything." She grinned.

"I would never leave anyone here. Never. Nobody deserves that." He answered seriously.

They shared looks, both of them suddenly keen with the thoughts of home and things they'd been deprived of since their arrivals on the cursed island. But a new thought crossed the hazel eyed boy as he rejoiced in the ideas of _home. _Just where was his now?

"I…I don't know where my home is." He said dejectedly.

"What do you mean? I'm sure you must've had somewhere. Everyone has somewhere they miss. Isn't that what home is? A place you miss?" She replied encouragingly. She knew what it was like to feel that way. But Baelfire would always have a home with her and her friends, bothers even.

"I.. I once had a place." He said longingly. "It's why I came."

"Then you do have a home. You miss that place, right?" She heartened.

He hesitated, a smile gracing his boyish features that were usually coated in worry. "Yeah, yeah I do miss that place."

"Then it's your home." She concluded for him confidently.

"We're gonna go home." He said blissfully.

"You bet we are." She replied assertively.

And they truly believed those words to be true. But then again, neither knew the effects of the cure, the price that came with that magic, for that was the one thing that Terra had neglected to mention, a magical cure. But had she brought it up, then maybe the disappointment would not have been to piercing, so heart breaking. Because if there was one thing that Baelfire knew better than anyone, it was that magic always came with a price, and the price for life was unfairly and dreadfully steep.

_**Second Star to the Right**_

**_A/N: How'd I do? Another update is on its way! I'm currently writing it. SPOILER, there's going to be a pretty intense fight scene, probably one of the worst we've seen yet, and considering the intense things I've written so far… _**

**_So I'm doing what they did in the show and splitting up the phrase into two chapters. I think I'm very clever some times. _**

**_Review?:)_**


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